Berries, Berries & More Berries
My favorite way to eat fruit pie is for breakfast with a dollop of lactose-free yogurt – and this Berries Pie has everything I want.
Fruit pie for breakfast feels indulgent and tastes so damn good.
And if you warm the pie first? Oh. My.
That is truly special…warm pie, cold yogurt, oh yeah! This Berries Pie is special, too. It combines blueberries, raspberries and strawberries in a gluten-free crust and it is about as satisfying a pie as you can make.
FODMAPs & Fruit Pies
If you are a fruit pie fan, check out our Monash University Compliant Low FODMAP Blueberry Pie.
You will see that the serving sizes are small, but the way we look at it, we would rather get to eat a little, than none at all.
And who knows? By the time you go through the Challenge phase you might find out that you can tolerate a larger slice! I can, on occasion, and it is just one way of how I have normalized my relationship with food, even though I am following a low FODMAP diet.
Strawberries Have No Detectable FODMAPs
Hopefully you have noticed that on the Monash University Smartphone App that FODMAPs were not detected in strawberries, which means they are one of the fruits that we can eat more liberally.
Since Monash has certified our Blueberry Pie at 24 servings, and this pie uses a good amount of strawberries in lieu of more blueberries, that addition would lessen the FODMAP burden.
How Much Pie Can I Eat?
But then we also used some raspberries, which have a similar issue with fructans as their blue brethren, so, in the end, while the math would suggest that you could probably eat a bit more of this pie, we have stuck with the 24 servings as a starting point.
Because, after all, what counts is how YOU digest it and you won’t know until you try. And we greatly encourage you to try.
Buying & Prepping Your Berries
I was once hired by a major berry distributor to count the berries in all of their various sized containers (there are more than you think) and figure out an average number of fruit.
I made a chart that detailed weight compared to volume measure compared to actual berry count.
As you can imagine the strawberries varied the most, but frankly, berry measuring is all a pain in the tushy. Think about it. Sometimes berries are sold by the pint or quart, but a recipe calls for 2 cups, or 12 ounces. !!!!!!
How do you know what to shop for?
I always try and give you a variety of amounts so you know what to buy as well as use, especially in recipes that use large quantities like this pie.
For the record, the amount of blueberries called for in this recipe is the equivalent of a large, clear clamshell container, which is a common way they are sold in the U.S.
Raspberries are most often packaged in 6-ounce (170 g) containers, so you need two of those.
Strawberries will often be in pints and quarts at a farmer’s market, but at the supermarket they are often in 1 and 2 pound (455 g and 910 g) clear clamshell or cardboard containers.
How Juicy Do You Like Your Berries Pie?
For me the answer is Very. I like a very juicy fruit pie. For The Berries Pie in the images I used ⅓ cup (37 g) cornstarch. You can see that the filling is very juicy, and actually, the image barely relays how juicy it was.
If you want a filling with more body, use the ½ cup (56 g) of cornstarch.
Also, if you cut the pie warm, it will ooze, no matter what. Not that that is a bad thing! It’s just a thing.
If the pie sits for a while, it will tighten up a bit. And if you can tolerate it, a scoop of lactose-free vanilla ice cream is heavenly.
For a lighter berry dessert, take a look at our gorgeous, low fat Berry Terrine.
The Berries Pie
This pie, which we call The Berries Pie, combine blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, all of which are low FODMAP in certain amounts. Stick to the serving size to start to assess your tolerance.
Low FODMP Serving Size Info: Makes 1 pie; 24 servings; serving size is one small slice (24th of the pie)
Ingredients:
Filling:
- 1 cup (198 g) sugar
- 1/3 cup (37 g to ½ cup (56 g)) cornstarch
- 1 pound (2 ounces (510 g)) fresh blueberries
- 1 pound (455 g) fresh strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped
- 12- ounces (340 g) fresh red raspberries
- 1, recipe All-Butter Pie Crust
Topping:
- 2 teaspoons lactose-free whole milk
- 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
Preparation:
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Position a rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Coat a 9 ½ inch x 1 1/2-inch (24 cm x 4 cm) tempered glass pie plate with nonstick spray; set aside.
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For the Filling: Whisk together the sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl to blend. Add the berries and toss to coat. Use a potato masher and squash the mixture about 5 or 6 times, just to crush some of the berries. Let stand for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, while oven preheats and you make dough.
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For the Dough and Assembly: Prepare dough as directed. Roll out 1 dough disc on a lightly -floured surface to a 12-inch (30 ½ cm) round (see Tips). Transfer to the prepared pie plate. Spoon the filling into the dough-lined dish. Roll out the second dough disc to a 13-inch (33 cm) round. Drape the dough over the filling, and trim the overhang to ½ inch (12 mm). Press the edges together to seal; fold the overhang under and crimp decoratively. Cut several small slashes in the top crust to vent (see Tips). Brush the top crust with the milk and sprinkle with the sugar, if desired.
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Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling; cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. The pie is best served the day it is baked.
Notes:
Tips
- The freshness of the fruit is imperative for this pie, as it is all about the fruit. You will notice that there is not even any lemon juice added - nothing to take away from the pure, unadulterated flavor of the berries. Taste the berries before you buy them, if you can. They should be sweet, ripe, and ready to eat.
- A lightly floured surface should work well for rolling out your crust. You can also lightly flour a piece of parchment paper, if you prefer.
- The steam inside the pie needs to vent, and cutting slashes in the top crust will suffice. If, however, you want to use a small leaf shape cutter like I did, you certainly can. I also placed the cut out leaves on top of the crust and used some milk to help them adhere. Be creative!
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
Folks, when I made this pie for my kids, we all decided it might be the best pie I’ve ever made…and seriously, that’s saying something!