Wilshire’s Strawberry Pie by Hillary Naishtat

PIE-A-DAY #58

This recipe comes to us from Hillary Naishtat, Pastry Chef at Wilshire in Santa Monica.

It’s impossible for me to pick a favorite fruit for pie, but I definitely have a favorite way to make a pie. For me, the best pie is simply the one made with the most perfectly, beautifully flavorful fruit, showcased with a flaky crust. My mentor, Nancy Silver, showed me a way to kick it up a notch, adding a crème fraîche custard and streusel topping, a combination that goes well with any fruit. Every day at Wilshire restaurant we make mini pies in a small cast iron skillet with whatever fruit is amazing at the farmers’ market that week. I love having this on the menu because there are so many ways for me to play and mix things up—it’s the definition of “freedom within form.” With cherries, I add almond flour to the custard and toasted almonds to the streusel, or with peaches or plums, I add warm spices to the fruit. – Hillary Naishtat

Keep reading for more of Hillary’s thoughts and the recipe…

Fruit

5 C fresh seasonal fruit, harder fruits cut smaller, softer fruits in bigger pieces to maintain some texture

Streusel topping

8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold, cubed, unsalted butter

1 c flour

¼ c brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon white sugar

Combine the flour and sugars in a large mixing bowl. Using your hands, work the cold butter into the dry ingredients thoroughly. Don’t worry about overworking this, you can’t! You want to work it until there are no butter pieces left and the mixture is ever so slightly moist and stays completely together when you grab a handful. Chill for an hour.

Crème fraîche custard

1 egg

¼ cup sugar

¾ cup crème fraîche (or sour cream)

½-1 vanilla bean, scraped

Whisk egg, sugar, and vanilla bean (you don’t use the empty pod). Mix in crème fraîche.