Constructing Fruit Pies and Tarts

A fruit pie is typically a straightforward affair made by enclosing the fruit between two layers of pastry and baking. The inherent problem is that most fruits (apples are the exception) release a lot of liquid as they cook and can make the crust soggy. Many recipes call for tossing the fruit with cornstarch or flour to thicken any liquid that is released and to prevent the pie from being a runny mess. Another more exacting approach is to cook the fruit ahead of time, reduce the liquid it releases, thicken it with a little cornstarch, recombine the liquid with the fruit, chill the mixture, and then bake it in the pie.