Don't Like Birthday Cake? How About a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie!!

        I'm not quite sure how I'm friends with someone who doesn't like birthday cake, but I am.  It's practically un-American to not like birthday cakes!  And now I'm stuck having to prepare a dessert for his birthday that's not birthday cake.  Last year I made apple pies at his request, and this year I've decided to do my other favorite pie: Strawberry Rhubarb Pie... yum!  As the end of rhubarb season quietly approaches (the end of September), I thought I could get one last deliciously bitter, but yet sweet dessert out of the bright pink vegetable!

        This recipe is for a lattice-topped pie (the basket weave crust on top), but you can also do a traditional pie crust and cut four 1.5-inch slits around the center of the pie to allow the steam to vent when baking.

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PIE

A Lattice-Topped Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Ingredients:

For a homemade crust:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening (cut into pieces)
• 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter (cut into pieces)
• 10 tbsp (approx) ice water

For filling:

• 3.5-4 cups rhubarb stalks cut into 1/2 inch pieces*
• 1 16-oz container of strawberries, hulled & halved 
• 1/2 cup golden brown sugar (packed)**
• 1/2 cup sugar**
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt

PLUS 1 large egg yolk beaten to blend with 1 tsp water (for glaze)

Notes:

*This is the measurement for extra rhubarb (the recipe calls for only 3-3.5 cups rhubarb), but I like to do a larger ratio of rhubarb to strawberries because I like the tartness of the rhubarb to really come through.  I often don't use the entire 16-oz container of strawberries either - I guesstimate based on the amount of rhubarb.*

**Again, the recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar (total), but I rarely use that much.  I end up reducing it to under a cup if I'm using extra rhubarb, just over  3/4 cup.  If you want a sweeter, less tart pie, add the full amount of sugar and include extra strawberries.**

Preparation for crust:

• Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor.
• Alternating between the two, cut in shortening and butter until a coarse meal forms.
• Blend in ice water 2 tbsp at a time (use enough to form moist clumps of dough).
• Gather dough into ball; cut in 1/2; Flatten each 1/2 into disk.
• Wrap disks separately in plastic (or wax paper); refrigerate until firm (about 1 hour).*

*If you want, you can make the dough 1 day ahead.  Just make sure to keep the dough chilled and let it soften slightly at room temperature before rolling it out when you're making the pie.*
Preparation for filling:

Raw stalks of rhubarb

Fresh strawberries

Chopped rhubarb

 Detail of pie filling mixture

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine rhubarb, strawberries and the rest of the ingredients for the filling in a large bowl; toss gently to blend.

Mixed pie filling

Roll out 1 dough disk on floured work surface to a 13-inch round; transfer to 9-inch pie dish & trim excess dough (leave about 3/4 in overhang).

Rolling out bottom pie crust

Roll out 2nd dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round again and cut into 14 1/2-inch-wide strips.  Spoon filling gently into crust (you want it to be higher than the pan's edge because the filling will reduce and shrink as it's baked).

Arrange 7 dough strips atop filling, spacing evenly.  Form lattice crust by placing remaining dough strips in opposite direction on top of the filling (criss-cross the strips to make a checkerboard-like pattern).

First strips of lattice crust

Trim the ends of the dough strips even with the overhang of bottom crust.  Fold strip ends & overhang under, pressing firmly to seal; crimp edges decoratively (obviously you don't have to; it won't effect how good it tastes).

How to crimp edges of pie crust

Brush glaze over crust.  Transfer pie to baking sheet* (view next post for note) & bake for 20 minutes.  Bake in the oven at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees (this is VERY important - don't forget to!) and continue baking for 1 hr- 1 hr 25min.

Into the oven it goes... pre-overflow

Cool to room temperature on a rack (this will allow the juices to thicken); this can be served cool or warm (the pie is juicier when served warm and refreshing when served cold).  The final pie crust should resemble the 1st picture of a lattice crust.  If it doesn't, don't worry... as long as it tastes amazing, you're in business.
Savor one of your last chances to enjoy fresh rhubarb this year, because you'll have to wait until mid-late May of 2011 to get rhubarb fresh again!  And it really was easy as pie (especially with the little trick mentioned in the next post)!  Happy Birthday M!!

Strawberry rhubarb pie with full crust