Fresh Raspberry Pie

Fresh raspberries are arguably the best part of summer.
Here's a great pie recipe that also works with blackberries, black raspberries, or other similar fruits.

You'll need:

~5-6 cups berries
1 pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
1/4-1/2c sugar
2T cornstarch
1 c water
pinch salt
1T lemon juice
dash allspice (optional)

Sort and gently wash berries. Set them aside to dry on a towel or in a colander.

Meanwhile, make or buy your pie crust, then bake it. Use the package directions for baking a store-bought pie crust, or just bake at 350 until lightly golden-brown, 10-15 minutes depending on the recipe you've chosen.

Homemade pie crusts may require weights to toast evenly without slipping down the sides (line with foil and add dry beans for weight if you don't have pie-specific tools), but this isn't absolutely necessary if aesthetics aren't your thing.

When pie crust is cool, fill with berries.

Spread evenly, and mound them a bit in the center as shown below.

Place in a small (1-3qt) pot:
1/4 c raspberries (more if you like)
1 c water
1/4 c sugar (increase to 1/2c if the berries are tart)
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
pinch salt

Cook and stir with a wire whisk over low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the berries have turned to mush. When sauce begins to thicken, add:

1 Tablespoon lemon juice
pinch of allspice (or your favorite spice)

Stir until glaze becomes thick, and remove from heat.

Pour the glaze over your berries, spreading gently to cover the entire top surface. Allow the pie to set up for at least 30 minutes in a cool room or in the refrigerator.

Slice and serve chilled or at room temperature. Fresh whipped cream or homemade ice cream is a perfect match for fresh berry pie.

Storage: in the unlikely event you have leftovers, simply cover with plastic wrap and store the remaining pie in the refrigerator.