This scarlet-hued delight is more delectable than a red-foil heart filled with chocolates any day. You can swap in fresh raspberries when they come into season in July and August.

Prep Time: 10 minutes, cook time: 50 to 55 minutes, servings: 1 9-inch pie

Ingredients

1 (9-inch) unbaked store-bought or premade double piecrust

5 cups frozen raspberries, thawed

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar tablespoon grated lemon zest

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Milk for brushing (optional)

Sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Press one of the piecrusts firmly into a 9-inch pie plate; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine raspberries, flour, sugar and lemon zest and gently toss to combine; set aside.

3. Brush inside of bottom crust with egg white, then spoon in filling. Scatter butter over filling and sprinkle with cinnamon. Lay top crust over filling; press together top and bottom edges of crust all around pie; fold edge under. With a sharp knife, cut a few slits into top crust to vent (or cut hearts from top-crust dough and place on filling, as shown). Brush with milk and sprinkle with a scant amount of sugar (if using).

4. Bake 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350F and bake until crust is golden, 35 to 40 minutes longer. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack.

Excerpted from Sweety Pies: An Uncommon Collection of Womanish Observations with Pie, by Patty Pinner, published by Taunton Press, copyright © 2007.