The Mixing Bowl Column

The Mixing Bowl

By Renee Zarate

I had never tasted a rhubarb pie until last summer when someone asked me to bake them one using their family recipe.  Oh…. My….Goodness!  Rhubarb is very tart by itself but when combined with fruit such as strawberries or raspberries and a good amount of sugar it is truly wonderful.  A scoop of vanilla ice cream is perfect with this.  If you have ever hesitated using rhubarb why not give it try.  Just a reminder:  only the rhubarb stalks are edible, never eat rhubarb leaves, cooked or raw, they are toxic. 

You can use a purchased pie crust or make this one:

Pie Pastry

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup Crisco

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup ice cold water

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie Filling

2 cups (one 16 ounce container) of frozen, sweetened strawberries

2 cups rhubarb, chopped into 1 inch pieces

1 ¼ cups sugar (if your berries are unsweetened you may wish to add an extra ½ cup of sugar)

1/3 cup flour, less 1 Tablespoon

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Make the pastry:

Mix the flour and salt together with a fork in a large bowl.  Cut the shortening and the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender until it resembles small peas.  Slowly add the ice water until all the dough is moist and can be gathered into a ball.  Divide the dough in two, press each half into a disc shape, wrap in plastic wrap and allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.  Roll the bottom crust out first and line a 9 inch pie pan with it.   Refrigerate this while you roll out the second disc which will be the top crust or you can use it to make lattice for the top crust.

Mix the fruit filling ingredients together in a medium bowl and pour into the prepared pie crust.  Cover with the top crust, cut vent holes, flute edges and paint the top with a little milk.  Sprinkle one tablespoon of sugar over the top.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes then reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 45 minutes until the crust is brown and the fruit is tender.  You may want to bake the pie on a cookie sheet in case the juices overflow.  Allow the pie to cool for several hours before cutting it.

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