Fresh Strawberry Pie

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine wafer crumbs, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and butter; press into a 9-inch pie dish. Bake for 10 minutes or until set and barely beginning to brown. Cool.
2. Quarter 2 cups strawberries and combine with 2 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat while mashing strawberries. Cook about 2 minutes or until very juicy. Push mashed berries through a sieve, pressing with a spoon and discarding solids that remain. Measure juice and add water to measure 1 cup.
3. Combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Gradually whisk in strawberry juice and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Boil 1 minute or until translucent. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla.
4. Place 1/3 of the remaining berries in pie shell; drizzle with 1/3 of glaze. Repeat twice. Chill 2 hours or until set. Serve cold with whipped cream, if desired.

Recipe adapted from Jim Fobel’s Old-Fashioned Baking Book: Recipes from an American Childhood (Lake Isle Press, 1995).