Grandma Wuffle's
Strawberry Moon Pie

For full moons, visitors & emergencies

Copied from a card found behind the flour tin. The original measurements alternated between cups, handfuls, and “until it looks right.” This version has been cautiously translated.

Things to Gather

• 1 baked 9-inch pie shell, cooled
• 450 g ripe strawberries
• ¾ cup caster sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• scraps of pastry for moons
• one ingredient Grandma refuses to disclose

Method, More or Less

1. Save eight handsome strawberries for the top. Crush the rest with half the sugar and the black pepper. Let them complain for 15 minutes.
2. Whisk remaining sugar, cornstarch, salt, milk, and yolks in a saucepan. Cook gently, stirring, until thick enough to hide a spoon.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in butter, vanilla, and the crushed strawberries. Cool until merely warm, then pour into the shell.
4. Chill at least 4 hours. Cut small crescent moons from pastry scraps, sprinkle with sugar, and bake at 190°C until golden.
5. Whip cream with icing sugar. Pile it carelessly in the middle. Ring with saved strawberries and pastry moons.
6. Serve after sunset. If the filling hums, open a window and pretend not to notice.

Pepper is not optional. She tried it once without and would never discuss the result.