Olive Oil Mania: Berry Pie Time

It's Time for Pie

I remember the scene in the film Michael when Dorothy (Andie MacDowell) is sitting in a restaurant and sings a song about pie. It's memorable because, well, it's creative; it's got me humming the catchy lyrics and fantasizing about a cherished edible (again). And this season, plump strawberries, blackberries and raspberries have caught my eye in the produce section of the grocery store.

All this berry talk has me craving a homebaked pie. My mother was an awesome bakeress. She whipped up pies from scratch. My treasured ones include fresh apple pie in the fall and strawberry pie in the late spring--like now.

I admit it, though. As a tween I was a wannabe chef in the kitchen but everything I created flopped. Not fun. My mother always came to my rescue...

While there is a nip in the air at Lake Tahoe, it is an ideal day to purchase fresh berries--and to bake a healthful pie to fill the air in the kitchen with warmth and a sweet fragrance complete with a healthful crust using olive oil. And I have found the failproof 21st century pie recipe to use right in my very own book The Healing Powers of Olive Oil.

Fresh Berry Pie

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch or tapioca flour

4 cups boysenberries (or berries of your choice)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 olive oil pie crust dough (double)

Mix sugar and cornstarch, and toss with berries, cinnamon, and lemon juice Turn into pastry line pie plate. Bake in a 425 degree oven 35-45 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 9-inch pie.

(Source: by Gemma's Sensational Sweets)

Okay. To make this berry pie it is truly fine if you use Gemma's recipe No-Roll Pie Crust -- with Marsala Olive Oil. The recipe is found in both her book and The Healing Powers of Olive Oil (page 150).