Grease an 8" square pan with a light coat of butter (I use the wrapper from melting butter), then set aside. Crumb graham crackers in a food processor. Pulse until crumbs are fine and uniform in size.
Add brown sugar, cinnamon, clove and salt. Give a quick couple processor bursts, then drizzle butter to the mix and whirl a few more times until crumbs are well coated and even in distribution.
Spread the crumbs even across the bottom of the square pan. With your hands, a tart tamper, or the back and side of a small measuring cup, press the graham cracker mix into the bottom and ever so slight up the pan edge. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
On the center oven rack, bake until golden, about 7 minutes. The crust won't turn golden, but when finished, will smell graham cracker fragrant. Let cool on a wire rack.
Once cool, melt chocolateone of two ways:Double BoilerAdd one-inch water to double boiler or medium pot. Set over medium heat fitted with a medium bowl. Once warmed, add chopped chocolate or chips to the bowl. Melt chocolate, while stirring every so often.MicrowaveAdd chopped chocolate or chips to a microwave safe bowl. Start with 1 minute on high, then for 20 second bursts, stirring after each interval. Ready is when chocolate is almost completely melted. Stir the rest of the way until melted and a lifted spoon streams chocolate.
Pour chocolate in the middle of the baked crust. Hold each side of the pan and move the chocolate side to side until even across the crust. Place strawberries in the middle of each "imagined" square, then sprinkle with pistachios.
Continue to cool on a wire rack. Serve room temperature, or place in refrigerator until cold. Cut into squares. Share.
Notes
High Altitude
the only change at 6,300 altitude, is using 7-7.5 tablespoons of butter in the crust vs. 6 at sea level.
Crust
if your crumbs feel dry when mixing, wet your fingers under water and continue with the crust
the crust can be made ahead, cooled, and covered. I usually make and keep my crust up to one day before, but have read they keep well frozen too.
to cool crusts faster, let cool for about five minutes, then finish cooling in the refrigerator.
topping combinations are endless with this dessert: chocolate, cranberry, any nut. Dark chocolate, hazelnuts/pecans/walnuts/almonds and dried blueberries/dates/figs/raisins and coconut. Chocolate bars with toffee and sea salt can be used as well.
squares best store airtight in the refrigerator or freezer. They seem to last forever in the freezer. We take a couple out when ready to eat and leave on the counter for 5-10 minutes.