Recipe: American Angel Pie (red, white and blue with meringue crust)

AMERICAN ANGEL PIE

1 teaspoon unsalted butter
4 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup granulated or superfine sugar, divided use
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups ripe strawberries, sliced
2 cups ripe blueberries, rinsed
1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch pie dish, set aside.

Whip egg whites, salt and cream of tartar until stiff but not dry. Slowly beat in 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, then fill pie dish, smoothing to create a rim around the sides.

Bake until dry and set (do not brown). Turn off oven and let cool with door slightly ajar (2-3 hours).

Sprinkle berries with half the remaining sugar.

Whip cream to stiff peaks, whip in remaining vanilla and sugar.

Fill pie with fruit, cover with cream and serve.

Makes 1 (9-inch) pie
Source: Fresh From the Garden Cookbook by Ann Lovejoy