Sweet & Savory Summer Fresh Fruit Pie featuring Raspberries

Raspberries are gorgeous, delicious and super healthy. “Rich in Vitamins C and K, manganese and biotin… [You should eat them for] collagen production, acne prevention, strong hair and nails, inflammation reduction, immune system boost, [and] glowing skin. This delicate berry is very rich in anthocyanin, a potent antioxidant that lends the beautiful pink-red color to raspberries. Anthocyanins offer protection against free radicals by helping repair damaged cells and promoting the growth of new healthy ones… Raspberry seeds contain high amounts of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are great for treating skin-related conditions such as eczema.” (Mafalda Pinto Leite in Radiant The Cookbook).

So with all of these reasons to buy and eat them, what are some great ways to enjoy them? Raw is best, of course, and embrace the seeds. Here are three ways to enjoy our gorgeous in season raspberries but also can be used with any of our in season summer berries and stone fruits to come. The first is my super simple, minimal bake pie (the raspberries remain raw), with sweet and savory option.. Use this for a fast, easy dessert or appetizer to enjoy with drinks. The second is from Bon Appetit for Pavlova with Summer Berries, a baked meringue topped with a raw fruit. With a snow white crisp exterior and a marshmellowy soft interior, a Pavlova is the perfect stage to display the gorgeous color and flavor of raspberries. Enjoy!

Summer Fresh Fruit Pie (with Savory option)

Recipes by Chef Kelly Unger

Yields 1 9” pie

Crust:

2 cups crushed organic cookies such as: vanilla wafers, ginger snaps or Biscoff (not organic but really delicious)

1 stick melted salted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse whole cookies in a food processor to crush. Mix with melted butter, stir with a fork to mix evenly. Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pie plate or preferably a fluted tart shell. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned. Set aside to cool completely.

Filling:

8oz low fat organic cream cheese, softened

⅓ cup organic fruit jam to match or compliment raw fruit OR ¼ cup raw honey plus extra for drizzling on top, if desired

2 cups raw summer berries or sliced stone fruit

Blend cream cheese and jam or honey together in a bowl with a hand held mixer until thoroughly blended and fluffed. Spoon into cooled pie crust and spread evenly. Top with raw fruit - when using berries, gently press into cream cheese

- when using sliced stone fruit, lay slices neatly and slightly overlapping across pie starting on the outer edge and working your way towards the middle

Drizzle with raw honey just before serving, if desired.

Savory option; replace cookies with crackers and use unsalted butter, replace cream cheese with soft goat cheese and replace fruit jam with tomato jam or eliminate jam altogether, eliminate honey altogether except for drizzling just before serving, if desired.