Best Fresh Berry Pies Ever

I've made this with blueberries and with strawberries, and both pies all times blew everyone away.  This is the kind of stuff pie dreams are made of. 

Adapted from http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/contest-winning-fresh-blueberry-pie

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sugar (or maple syrup--it's delicious!)

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup cold water

• 5 cups fresh berries, divided (if strawberries, chopped, sliced, or halved) (Tip: Feel free to put more than 2 cups fresh berries into the final pie. You may want more than 5 cups to begin with.)

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 pastry shell (9 inches), baked

Directions

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and water until smooth. Add 3 cups berries. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly (hangs onto your spoon and viscously drips off of it--pretty syrupy), about 3 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat. Add butter, lemon juice and remaining berries; stir until butter is melted. Cool. Pour into pastry shell. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 8 servings. 

Serve with whipped cream, of course.