Strawberry Slab Pie
Are we on team fruit pie or team cream pie? You can’t cheer for both- it’s the rules. Me? I’m almost always team cream pie. Give me custards and peanut butter and French silk chocolate fillings any day, but during the summer, fruit pies win all the quality points. This strawberry slab pie is divine for so many reasons: fresh summer berries, a flaky two-layer crust situation, and about 16 sliced opportunities to go “a la mode.”You’re going to want to make this treat, so let’s dive in on the how-to.
Have you heard of slab pie? I’ve shared two varieties on this site before, but I’m really proud of the simplistic deliciousness of this one. No fussy sauces and a no-fail crust situation make this is a really easy dessert option when serving a crowd in the summer. Because this pie is prepared in a jelly roll pan, we’re able to cut a whole lot more slices to serve all the crazy people we want to love on. You can make it in advance or leave it out in the hot sun- heck, you can almost just eat the thing with your bare hands. (I may or may not be speaking from experience, and you better not judge me.)
Making the Pie
To make this strawberry slab pie we start with the crust. Flour, salt, and sugar are incorporated with butter and shortening until clumpy, pea-sized nibs of fat exist throughout. Add ice water until the dough comes together and then refrigerate it all. When you’re ready to assemble the pie, roll out half of the dough to work into the bottom of your pan. Fill the crust with your sugared, vanilla-scented berries and then top with a second rolled-out piece of dough. Crimp the edges, vent the top, and pop that sucker in the oven for a nice, long bake.
I love a metal jelly roll pan for this kind of pie, but you could also squeeze it into a quarter sheet pan or even a 9×13″ baking pan. Some adjustments will be required and baking time may differ depending on the material of your pan. Metal always works great for me, but the key is to make sure the insides of your pie are bubbling. We don’t want a runny pie! This strawberry slab pie tastes terrific with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some fresh whipped cream, but this is totally optional. The only requirement for this pie is that you serve it to friends! Your neighbors! Anyone that matters big time to you! Pie are meant for sharing. (Edit: social distancing rules still apply. Don’t come at me for encouraging you to share dessert.)
Happy hump day to you all and happy baking. I hope this post finds you peacefully in process wherever you happen to be. All my love!
If you like this strawberry slab pie you should check out:
Triple Berry Slab Pie
Caramel Apple Slab Pie
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Berry Streusel Pie
Peach Berry Pie
Strawberry Slab Pie
This strawberry slab is two layers of flaky pie crust filled with vanilla-scented summer strawberries. Learn how easy it is to serve a crowd with this recipe!
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 60
- Total Time: 120
- Yield: 16 servings
- Category: Dessert
Ingredients
For the pie crust:
- 4–1/2 cups (585 gm) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (230 gm) unsalted butter, cold
- 14 tablespoons (200 gm) shortening, cold
- 10 tablespoons ice water
For the filling:
- 2 pounds strawberries, halved or quartered into 1” sized pieces
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 egg
- Demerara sugar, if desired
Instructions
To prepare the pie crust:
- Give the dry ingredients a whiz in the food processor to combine.
- Pulse in the shortening and butter, just until evenly dispersed and pea-sized clumps form.
- Add 6 tablespoons of ice water and pulse, add in an additional tablespoon of water until a dough begins to form. I usually need 8 tablespoons of water.
- Remove dough from food processor and separate in two round disks. Wrap in Saran wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes prior to use.
To prepare the filling:
- Combine the strawberries, brown sugar, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Set aside while you prep your pan.
To assemble your pie:
- Preheat an oven to 375 degrees. Prepare an egg wash by whisking 1 egg with 2 teaspoons of water. Set aside while you prepare the pie.
- Roll out one half of your dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12”x17” rectangle. Once smoothed and sized, roll the dough back onto the rolling pin and transfer the dough into a 15″ x 10″ x 1″ jelly roll pan. Gently press the dough into the edges of the pan and trim off excess dough, leaving a 3/4’” overhand around all edges. Use some excess dough to fill in spots where the dough may have cracked or wasn’t long enough.
- Sprinkle your prepared fruit into the pan and spread out to fill evenly. If your berries have made a ton of excess juice, you can drain a few tablespoons of it.
- Roll out your remaining piece of dough to a 12”x17” rectangle. Roll the dough onto your rolling pin and transfer it to the pie. Center the pie top on the pan and fold the bottom edge over the top, crimping with your fingers as desired. Use a knife to vent the pie and brush the egg wash over the top crust. Sprinkle with demerara sugar if desired. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling inside is bubbling. Rotate the pie during baking as needed to brown evenly.
