For the Stars and Stripes Pie in my cookbook, “50 Pies, 50 States,” I wanted something that would be a showstopper at any Fourth of July barbecue.
I got fancy, using foil as a divider when filling the pie to mimic the color blocking of the flag. I used two fillings – strawberry and blueberry – which breaks my personal rule of making sure everyone gets the same slice. Channeling my inner Betsy Ross, I cut the crust into lattice for the stripes, and pressed the stars out with a cookie cutter, “sewing” a flag of my own to kick off my journey through the 50 states.
The history of the flag is as fascinating as America itself. It’s like the country it represents: a work in progress. Historians believe it was designed by New Jersey Congressman Francis Hopkinson and sewn by Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross. The current flag consists of seven red and six white horizontal stripes, representing the original 13 colonies, and 50 stars representing the states. The colors are symbolic as well: red for hardiness and valor, white for purity and innocence, and blue for vigilance, perseverance and justice.
Stars and Stripes Pie
Makes 1 10-inch pie
Ingredients
Crust:
Store-bought or homemade pie dough (preferably made with all butter; and enough for a double-crusted pie), rolled out; one for the base, one for the stars-and-stripes decorative work
½ teaspoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
Egg wash
Finishing sugar (equal parts white sugar and demerara sugar)
Strawberry Filling:
6 cups strawberries, stemmed and quartered
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Blueberry Filling:
1-1/2 cups blueberries
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Special Equipment
Pizza cutter
Ruler
1-1/2-inch star cookie cutter
Directions
Make the Crust: Fit one rolled-out crust in a greased 10-inch pie plate and crimp the edges. Place the other rolled-out crust on a baking sheet. Freeze both crusts for 30 minutes. Remove the crust on the baking sheet from the freezer. Using a pizza cutter and a ruler, measure out 1-inch strips; cut three full-length strips and two half-length strips. Use the remainder of the crust dough to cut out the stars using a cookie cutter. Place stars and stripes back on to the baking sheet and freeze until ready to use.
Make the fillings: Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, combine the strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, and vanilla. In a separate smaller bowl, combine the blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, and vanilla.
Assemble the pie: To keep your blueberry and strawberry fillings separate, make a barrier: Cut a strip of aluminum foil about 2 inches wide and fold it in half lengthwise so you have an inch-wide strip. Then crease it in half widthwise to create an “L” shape. Remove the crimped crust from the freezer. Place the L-shaped foil piece in the top left corner of the pie crust, creating a compartment that is a quarter of the whole pie in size. Sprinkle the 1/2 teaspoons flour and sugar on the crust base; this will help prevent a soggy bottom. Pour the blueberry filling into the smaller section and the strawberry filling into the larger section. Remove the foil and adjust the berries if some rolled out of place.
Remove the 1-inch dough strips and stars from the freezer. Place the stars and stripes to resemble a flag, being sure to press the ends of the stripes into the edge of the bottom crust.
Brush the entire crust with egg wash, making sure not to pull the berries’ sugary syrup onto the crust, as it will burn. Sprinkle finishing sugar over the whole thing for a sparkly finish. Freeze entire pie for 30 minutes before baking.
Bake the Pie: Place the pie on a baking sheet and then on the center rack of the oven. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, rotating the pie 90 degrees every 15 minutes. The pie is done when it is golden brown and sparkling from sea to shining sea. Let the pie cool for at least 3 hours and enjoy à la mode!
Excerpted from “50 Pies, 50 States” by Stacey Mei Yan Fong. Copyright (copyright) 2024 by Stacey Mei Yan Fong. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved.
