Fruit, sugar, cornstarch, acid, extras. These are the only things you need to remember to turn out a perfect pie filling. You've already read our step-by-step guide to the flakiest, butteriest pie crust. Now, you're ready to fill that buttery crust with a pile of gorgeous, ripe fruit—and we're here to set you up for pie filling success.
Because sweetness, tartness, and juiciness are all dependent on how ripe your fruit is, not every pie will be the same every time. Are your blueberries particularly tart? Maybe you need a bit more sugar. Been graced with the juiciest plums you’ve ever seen? You might want to add a tablespoon more cornstarch. Taste and react. Since different fruits have different levels of sweetness, acidity, pectin, and water, each one has its own special formula for becoming a pie filling. Here are three of our favorites:
Christopher Testani
Fruit: 2 lb. strawberries, hulled, quartered
Sugar: 1½ cups
Cornstarch: ¼ cup
Acid: 1 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
Extras: 2 lemons, very thinly sliced, seeds removed
Christopher Testani
Fruit: 2 lb. blueberries (about 6 cups)
Sugar: 1¼ cups
Cornstarch: ¼ cup
Acid: ¼ cup fresh lime juice
Extras: 1 Tbsp. each freshly grated lime zest and ginger
