Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

This is my favorite pie (as documented here). We had tons of rhubarb in the garden last weekend and my mom picked up some farm stand strawberries, so of course, we had to make a pie. I used the all butter crust recipe from Four and Twenty Blackbirds, but I realized part way through making the dough that we didn't have enough flour - we were short half a cup. We did have cornmeal. I subbed in cornmeal for the missing flour and it was great! It added this nice texture and extra crisp to the dough. I also subbed balsamic vinegar for the usual lemon juice which was a great, subtle difference. If there are still strawberries near you (I just snagged some this morning at the Union Square market) I suggest making this ASAP, and maybe making three.

Ingredients:

Crust

2 cups flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

3 tsp sugar

2 sticks cold butter, cut into 1/2" pieces

1 cup cold water

Engagement Pie!

Not for me! Our best friends, Chip and Siobhan, just got engaged too! Such a fun and celebratory time. (Jamie and I have now deemed ourselves Champagne people.) We were SO happy about this engagement and wanted to give them a little treat. They so sweetly sent us a bottle of bubbly when we got engaged, continuing our new Champagne dependence. Both of them have a weakness for strawberry rhubarb pie, and by some stroke of luck, I found rhubarb in February, and some pretty good looking strawberries (both at Essex Street Market). I made the crust (Martha's pate brisee recipe) and personalized it with a big engagement ring and a C and an S on either side. Next time you need a special treat for a special occasion, try personalizing your friend's favorite pie. I think it was a big hit! (Chip ate half of it out of the tin with a spoon before leaving our apartment.)

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

When rhubarb comes into season I immediately crave strawberry rhubarb pie. It's such a great blend of sweet and sour and I'd say it's my favorite pie, hands down. Especially when served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It's not terribly difficult to make - especially if you buy frozen pie crust. (I recommend the Trader Joe's variety if it's available.) Just putting this up makes me want to make another tonight!

Ingredients:
Pie crust (frozen of homemade)
1 pound fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 pound fresh strawberries, cut into halves or quarters
3 tablespoons corn starch
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4-1/2 tsp freshly grated orange peel
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Mix rhubarb, strawberries, corn starch, sugar, cinnamon, lemon, and orange peel in a bowl.

 

Pour into pie crust (if it's homemade, first put the pie crust down in a pie in and trim the edges). Cut remaining pie crust into strips and lay across the top of the filling in a lattice.  Dot the pie with the butter and sprinkle sugar on top of the strips. 

Place the pie on a cookie sheet and then into the oven (it tends to drip a bit). After 35 minutes, if the crusts are burning, cover them with tin foil. Let it bake another 10 minutes or until the middle is pretty set. Let cool a little and serve it up with vanilla ice cream!