a mini strawberry pie ... for breakfast

a mini strawberry pie

all filled up

so cute with a little lattice crust

sweet pie

my first bite ... breakfast

Do you ever crave pie ... and not a whole pie ... but a mini pie?? Lucky for me I had some extra pie dough in the freezer from two weeks back (I made a bunch of pies for a coworker's birthday) and whipped together a mini pie as I was hit with a mini pie craving.

I had some fresh strawberries and decided to go with a strawberry pie ... sweet and simple.
While I was going to college in Santa Cruz I would frequent a cafe that would serve the best pie.  It did not matter that it was only eight in the morning as pie to me ... is good at any time of the day. Back to mini pies: So there I was in my kitchen,  making a mini pie for breakfast ... cutting my crust, mixing my strawberries, and drinking my favorite tea. My first bite was one of perfection ... sweet but not too sweet, filling but not too filling, and just the right amount of pie. There is nothing quite like a sweet strawberry pie ... especially when you have the pie all to yourself.

A Sweet Strawberry Mini Pie
Recipe

Ingredients
6-8 large strawberries
1-2 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice
a pate brisee pie dough
(you can make several mini pies from one disk of pate brisee dough)

Directions:
1. Chop your strawberries to your liking ... I like them not too small but not too large
2. Mix your strawberries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon in a small bowl .. you can also add grated orange zest and cinnamon ... however ... do keep it simple
3. Line one small tiny pie dish with pie dough ... push down the sides and make sure to cover all the way up the sides (there really is no messing up on this part)
4. Pour in your strawberry filling all the way to the top of the pie dough
5. With a pie cutter cut strips for your lattice crust with the left over pie dough ... place on your pie and weave over under over under.
6. I was in a hurry and skipped my usual egg wash ... but you can brush an egg wash over your pie if you would like and sprinkle with sugar .... for the egg wash : one egg and 1/4 cup of water, mix, and brush
7. Bake your mini pie at 375 for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown
8. Enjoy for breakfast with a cup of tea or coffee!