Recipes Desserts Pies Strawberry Slab Pie 5.0 (1) 2 Reviews With a perfectly buttery crust and a sweet, jammy filling, this slab pie from Joanne Chang is one of the most delicious desserts you’ll eat all summer. Slideshow: More Pies and Tarts By Joanne Chang Joanne Chang Joanne Chang is a James Beard award-winning pastry chef, restaurateur, and five-time cookbook author with close to 30 years in the culinary industry. Since 2000, she's been the owner of Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe — now with 10 locations — and in 2007 opened the acclaimed restaurant Myers+Chang with her husband Christoper Myers.Experience: Joanne began as a management consultant before deciding to pursue a career in food. This change of direction didn't take her to culinary school, however; instead, she began a rigorous series of internships including Boston's Biba restaurant and Bentonwood Bakery before being hired as Rialto restaurant's pastry chef in 1995. Several years later, she moved to New York to work at the renowned Payard Patisserie & Bistro before returning to Boston to open Flour Bakery + Cafe in 2000. In addition to opening nine more locations of the bakery, she and her restaurateur husband Christopher Myers opened Myers+Chang in 2007, a critically acclaimed restaurant serving Taiwanese cuisine with Vietnamese, Chinese, and Thai influences. Joanne has published five cookbooks and regularly teaches pastry techniques at her bakeries, in area cooking schools, and on Instagram via her weekly series #flourlove.Education: Joanne has a degree in Applied Mathematics and Economics from Harvard University. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 1, 2015 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Andrew Purcell Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 3 hrs Yield: 6 Ingredients Pastry 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 4 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons and chilled 2 large egg yolks 1/4 cup cold whole milk Baking spray Pie 1 1/2 pounds strawberries, hulled and quartered (4 cups) 1 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1 large egg, beaten 3 tablespoons sanding or turbinado sugar Directions Make the pastry In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the flour, sugar and salt and mix at low speed. Add the butter and mix at medium speed until almost incorporated, with some pecan-size pieces remaining, about 1 minute. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the milk. With the machine on, drizzle the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix until the pastry just starts to come together, about 30 seconds; it will be crumbly. Scrape the pastry onto a lightly floured work surface and gather it together. Using the heel of your hand, smear the pastry against the work surface to work in the butter. Form the pastry into a 1-inch-thick disk, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease an 8-inch-square baking pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving 3 inches of overhang on all sides. Cut one-third of the pastry off of the disk. On a lightly floured surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the smaller piece of pastry to an 8-inch square; transfer to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet and refrigerate. Roll out the larger piece of pastry to a 12-inch square, about 1/4 inch thick. Ease the pastry into the prepared pan, pressing it into the corners and up the sides; trim the excess pastry, leaving no overhang. Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for about 30 minutes, until just pale golden and set. Remove the pie weights and parchment paper. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the crust cool completely. Make the pie In a medium bowl, toss the strawberries with the granulated sugar, cornstarch, orange zest and salt. Spread the filling in the pastry crust. Cover with the chilled piece of pastry crust, gently pressing it down around the edges. Brush the top with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the sanding sugar. Using a sharp paring knife, make six 2-inch-long slits in the top pastry. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the crust is deep golden. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool, at least 3 hours. Carefully lift the pie out of the pan and transfer to a platter before serving. Make Ahead The pie can be kept at room temperature overnight. Rate it Print