Strawberry Rhubarb Pie  – the perfect early summer dessert recipe.

Rhubarb and radishes are usually the first things ready in our garden.  Rhubarb is a fruit, and though the stalks you eat look similar to celery, the plant itself strongly resembles hasta.  It’s a perennial plant that does well in partial shade, making it a fabulous addition to an edible landscape. The leaves of the rhubarb plant are quite poisonous, but the stalk is red, crunchy, and tart. It is most often used in desserts – cobbler, muffins, pies.

Around here we love strawberry pie, so this recipe is a take on that.  The rhubarb gives this sweet dessert the perfect amount of tartness.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie (our take on this recipe, which is fancier)

Ingredients:

Filling:
2.5 c diced rhubarb
2.5 c sliced strawberries
1 c sugar
1/3 c flour
2 tbsp cold diced unsalted butter

Crust:
2.5 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
8 oz cold diced cream cheese
1 c cold diced butter
1 tbsp vinegar
1/2 tbsp cold water

1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp water

Pie Crust:
1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Combine flour, salt and sugar in a food processor, blend.
3. Cut in cream cheese and butter.  Pulse in food processor until crumbly, but combined.
4. Add vinegar and cold water, and pulse until dough begins to form.
5. Dump dough onto saran wrap, divide into two equal parts, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.  Use this time to make the filling.

Pie Filling:
6. Combine fruit, sugar, and flour in a large bowl. Coat evenly.

Pie:
7. Pull out dough and roll out dough into two 11-in circles, place bottom crust in the pie dish and put the whole thing in the freezer for 10 minutes.
8. Poke several holes in the bottom crust and add fruit filling.  Top with diced cold butter.
9. Place top crust over the pie and poke several holes.  Crimp or fold edges. Brush with egg yolk/water mixture.
10. Cook at 450 for 15 minutes.  Reduce oven to 350 and cook for another 30 minutes.

Serve with home made whipped cream or cold vanilla ice cream.

Check out our greener recipes for more ideas for delicious treats!

6/2/15