Adapted from a King Arthur Flour recipe
Crust:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pats
2 tablespoons cold milk
1 large egg
Strawberry Filling:
1 2/3 cups fresh strawberries, trimmed and quartered
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 large egg, beaten
Demerara sugar, optional
1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Add cold butter and work into the flour quickly with your hands until small lumps form.
2. Combine milk and egg in a small bowl and whisk. Add to flour mixture and combine until it forms a cohesive dough.
3. Divide the dough in half, shape each into a small rectangle, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
4. Combine all filling ingredients, except the egg and sugar, in a saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until the mixture starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Place one piece of dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll into a 9-x-12-inch rectangle. Trim the edges to make straight. Use a sharp knife to cut into nine 3-x-4-inch rectangles. Remove each pastry rectangle to the prepared baking sheet. Roll out the second piece of dough and cut into nine rectangles. Cut three slashes across each rectangle for venting, or use a decorative cutter or pattern of your choice for vents.
7. Place a heaping spoonful of strawberry filling on each rectangle of dough on the baking sheet, leaving the edges clean. If the filling is runny, try to remove some of the juice before placing on the pastry. Brush the edges of the pastry with some of the beaten egg. Top each with a vented rectangle and press along the edges with the tines of a fork to seal.
8. Brush the tops of the pies with the remainder of the beaten egg, and sprinkle with Demerara sugar, if desired.
9. Bake the pies for 30 minutes or until they are a light golden brown. Remove from oven and cool in the pan. Makes 9 pies
