· By Honest Toil
Strawberry Pie with Olive Oil Pastry
A simple summer dessert with olive oil pastry, inspired by childhood strawberry picking and long afternoons at the table.
This blog & recipe is by Despina Siahuli, a London-based chef and recipe developer whose heart belongs to Athens, where she grew up. Discover more of Despina's Honest Toil recipes here.
I truly believe strawberry season is one of the happiest times of the year. Every summer, I wait patiently for the sweetest strawberries to appear, and I always choose the smallest ones! They instantly take me back to childhood summers spent at my grandmother’s allotment, eating tiny wild strawberries straight from the plants, and to the endless strawberry and cream tarts my dad used to make for us.
This pie is full of those memories. The pastry is wonderfully unique: naturally vegan and made with olive oil and apple juice instead of butter. The apple juice softens and balances the fresh, peppery character of the olive oil, while adding a gentle natural sweetness that makes the crust incredibly delicate and flavourful.
For the filling, I use beautiful fresh strawberries with just a little cornstarch to lightly thicken their juices as they bake. Instead of milk and refined sugar, I add aged apple juice and honey, which bring warmth, depth, and a more natural sweetness to the pie.
The result is bright, comforting, and full of sunshine — the kind of dessert that feels both rustic and special at the same time.
Enjoy it simply on its own, or serve it with whatever you love most: thick yoghurt, clotted cream, double cream, or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Anything goes when strawberries are this good.
Ingredients
Pastry
- 150g all-purpose flour, plus extra for shaping
- 30g cornstarch
- 30g caster sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 tsp ground cinnamon
- A pinch of salt
- 70g Honest Toil extra olive oil
- 70g cold apple juice
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
Filling
- 400g strawberries, washed and sliced
- Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
- 50g organic honey
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 15g cornstarch mixed with 60g cold apple juice until smooth
Topping
- 1 1/2 tbsp Honest Toil olive oil mixed with 1 tbsp honey and 1 tsp sugar, for brushing
- A handful of almond flakes
Method
Prepare the filling:
- Mix the strawberries with the lemon zest, honey, cinnamon, vanilla essence, and the cornstarch and apple juice mixture.
- Transfer everything to a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the filling thickens slightly.
- Taste and add a little more cinnamon, honey, or vanilla if you like. Set aside to cool.
Make the pastry:
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, cold apple juice, and vanilla essence.
- Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture. Mix gently until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough. Avoid over-mixing. If needed, add a little extra flour.
- Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and leave it to rest for 30 minutes. If the weather is very warm, chill it in the fridge.
Assemble the pie:
- Preheat the oven to 175°C fan and prepare a flat baking tray.
- Place a sheet of baking paper on your work surface, lightly dust with flour, and place the dough on top and cover with another sheet of baking paper. Roll out the dough. For a thicker crust, roll to about 25cm. For a thinner, more rustic pie, roll to about 30cm.
- Carefully transfer the baking paper and dough onto the tray.
- Spread the filling in the centre, leaving a border around the edges. Fold the pastry edges gently over the filling. If the dough cracks, simply press it back together with your hands
- Brush the pastry edges with the olive oil, honey, and sugar mixture, then sprinkle with almond flakes. Gently press the almonds into the dough so they stick well. Brush with a little more of the mixture for extra shine.
- Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25–30 minutes, or until the pie is lightly golden.
