Cooking Corner - Rhubarb Strawberry Pie

My neighbour / taste tester provided me with fresh Rhubarb. Fresh strawberries are in season. So, Rhubarb Strawberry Pie! Also it’s time to tackle homemade pie crust. This is the simplest flaky recipe I have come up with. 4 main ingredients – Flour, Salt, Butter, Water. The crust can be sweet or savoury depending what you add. Sugar into fruit pie crusts, Herbs matching ingredients in Savoury Pie crusts. Plain is just fine.

The big controversy is Butter or Veg Shortening or Beef Tallow or a combination or whatever. I like and use butter for this recipe and it works great.

FILLING

Ingredients:

1. 3 Cups Strawberries, stemmed, washed, cut into ¼’s

2. 3 Cups Rhubarb, washed, cut into pieces less than ½ inch, stalks, NO leaves – measure the fruit after being cut.

3. ¾ Cup Sugar

4. ¼ Cup Corn Starch

5. ¼ Tsp Salt

6. 1 Tsp Vanilla

Method:

1. Mix well, all of the above. Your filling is ready. Let it rest for a while and re-mix to let the wet and dry ingredients combine somewhat.

SIMPLE PIE CRUST

1 X 9 inch Crust – This Dough recipe is for one single crust. We need 2 crusts for Top and Bottom. So Double it.

Ingredients:

1. 1 1/4 Cups All Purpose Flour

2. 1 Tbsp Sugar - I know I said 4 ingredients. But I’m making a fruit pie, so I add sugar to the dough. Not necessary.

3. 1 Tsp Salt

4. 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter – 1 Stick – COLD – cut into small pieces – ¼ inch

5. 2 to 4 Tbsp Ice Cold Water. Is it humid or dry in your kitchen? It makes a difference.

6. Egg Wash – 1 Egg Yolk and 1 Tbsp Cream or Milk – Beaten smooth

7. Coarse Sugar for topping – I used Sugar in the Raw – excellent.

8. 1 Tbsp Butter cut into 8 small pieces.

Method: I used a food processor. Quick and Easy. Or, In a large bowl knead it by hand or use a Pastry Cutter, using the same steps. Don’t overwork the dough, you want butter bits throughout to make it flaky.

1. Add to Food Processor or cold bowl, Flour, sugar and salt. Give a quick pulse to mix dry ingredients.

2. Add Butter pieces. Now we “cut” the butter into the flour. Several quick pulses in the Food Processor. Or use a pastry cutter or your hands to the knead the butter into the Flour. It should look like breadcrumbs. Dry with small pieces of butter throughout.

3. Add 2 Tbsp Ice Water. – Gently Mix or a few Pulses in the Processor – Test the dough that it is moist and clumps together when you press it in your hand. Keep adding water 1 Tbsp at a time until it does clump in your hand.

4. Place the dough on a clean floured surface and form it into a disk. Not a ball. If you have made a double recipe, cut it in half and make 2 disks.

5. Wrap in plastic wrap and into the fridge for minimum ½ hour. If you leave it for a long time, say overnight, you will need to let it warm up a bit before rolling.

6. Flour the clean Countertop, Dough and Rolling Pin. Roll it out to about 14 inches for the 9 inch pan. Fold the dough over twice making a triangle. Place the point in the centre of the pan and fold out. Lift the edge as you press the dough into place. Don’t force it. Trim around the edge but leave enough overhang on the edge to connect the Topper. Egg wash the edge of the crust.

7. Pour in the filling. Place 8 small pieces of butter evenly on top of filling.

8. Roll out the Topper Dough. You can simply cover the pie with one piece or cut the dough into strips for a Lattice Topper. If one piece, pierce top with 4 slits using a knife before baking.

9. Lattice – Start with a cross in the middle. Then add more strips. You will be lifting back strips as you go to get the lattice right. Take your time it’s pretty simple. Press the lattice pieces or crust topper together at the edges with the bottom crust.

10. Egg wash every visible bit of pie crust Topping. Sprinkle generously with Coarse Sugar.

11. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce to 375 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Keep an eye on it, when golden brown – Done. Allow it to cool and settle for an hour or so at room temperature. You can cut pieces now, they will probably be a bit runny. We left it in the fridge overnight. Cut it and microwave for 30 seconds or so. Serve with Ice Cream, Whipped Cream or both. Yum.

You’ll see from the picture it turned out perfectly. My first try. Have no fear, this one is easy. Impress your family and friends.