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1
Pick over the berries carefully, removing the stems and hulls.
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2
Wash in a sieve or colander under cold running water and place on paper towels to drain.
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3
Pat the berries completely dry.
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4
Arrange half of them (the most perfect ones) in the pie shell and set aside.
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5
Coarsely chop the remaining berries and combine them with 1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar in a stainless steel saucepan.
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6
Bring the berries to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally.
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7
In a small bowl mix the cornstarch, water, and lemon juice together to form a smooth paste.
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8
Pour the paste into the strawberry mixture, stirring constantly, and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture thickens.
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9
Puree the strawberry mixture through a fine mesh sieve, pressing down hard with a wooden spoon or spatula to extract as much of the berries as possible before discarding the seeds.
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10
Taste the puree (not too much!)
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11
and add more lemon juice or sugar, as desired.
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12
Pour the puree over the berries and spread it evenly with a rubber spatula.
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13
Cover the pie loosely with aluminum foil or wax paper and refrigerate for at least two hours.
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14
Just before serving whip the cream and 1 Tbs (15 ml) sugar until it is stiff.
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15
Spread on top of the pie, making decorative swirls with the spatula, and serve immediately.
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16
Alternately, you may serve the whipped cream on the side and allow diners to help themselves.
