3 quarts fresh strawberries, divided
1½ cups sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
2/3 cups water
Red food coloring, optional
1 deep dish pastry shell (10 inches),
baked
1½ tablespoons instant vanilla
pudding mix
In a large bowl, mash enough berries to equal 3 cups. In a saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Stir in the mashed berries and water; mix well.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; add the food coloring if desired. Pour into a large bowl. Chill for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, unitl mixture is just slightly warm. Fold in the remaining berries. Pile into pie shell.
Chill for 2-3 hours. In a small mixing bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Sprinkle pudding mix over cream and whip until stiff. Pipe around edge of pie or dollop on individual slices. Yield 8-10 servings.