Strawberry and Pistachio Pie

Crust:

1. In a food processor with a steel blade put flour, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt and process until mixture is crumbly.
2. Add egg yolk and continue to process just until large clumps of dough form. If the dough is not setting, gradually add a little water.
3. Transfer the dough chunks on a lightly floured work surface and form a disc-shape with your hands.
4. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.
5. Roll out the dough on a floured work surface about 3-4 mm thick and line the pie pan. It is important to create a right angle between the sides and the base of the crust, which will ensure the edges remain high when baking.
6. Using a fork create holes in the crust. Freeze the crust for about an hour.
7. Preheat oven to 170c degrees.

Blind baking:

1. Put a sheet of heat-resistant plastic wrap or baking paper on the frozen crust and fill with dry beans or special weights for baking.
2. Bake for about 12-14 minutes.
3. Remove the weights and the plastic wrap and continue to bake the crust for about 8-12 minutes or until it is lightly golden.
4. Cool at room temperature.

Pistachio cream:

1. In a food processor with a steel blade put pistachios, butter, sugar, salt, vanilla and cornstarch and blend at high speed until the mixture is crumbly.
2. Add milk and egg and continue to blend until you get a uniform, thick cream.
3. Pour the cream over the half-baked crust, and smooth the top.
4. Arrange diced strawberries over the cream.
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cream is golden and set at the edges, but still slightly soft in the center.
6. Cool completely at room temperature.

Strawberry jam:

1. Wash the strawberries and cut into quarters. Put in a pot and add in sugar and lemon juice.
2. Cook over low-medium heat for 30-60 minutes, or until jam is formed. To check whether jam is ready, put a plate in the freezer. When it seems jam is ready, pour about 1 tablespoon of jam on the plate, wait a few seconds and then form a “path”. If the path remains open – jam is ready. If it closes – cook a little longer.
3. Cool the jam slightly at room temperature and spread over the baked (cooled) pistachio cream in an even layer.

Pistachio Chantilly cream:

1. In a bowl of a mixer, whip cream, sugar powder, pistachio paste and pudding until very stable cream is formed.
2. Transfer the whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a serrated 2 cm piping tip and drizzle generous mounds of cream over the pie, leaving about 1-2 cm in the edges for the strawberries.
3. Arrange whole strawberries (relatively small) in the edges. Brush them gently with Nappage.
4. Decorate with chopped pistachios and pistachio halves over the cream.