Pie 3: Ol' Fashion Strawberry Rhubarb

Pie 3: Oldie, but Goodie

The leaves are changing, the temperatures are dropping, and the pies are being baked! It's fall at last! For those of you who know me, fall is my favorite season. Sadly but true, this is because of all the wonderful food that is to be enjoyed during this amazing season. It's not too cold, it's not too hot and family and friends and getting together to enjoy the season’s best pie. For this week I wanted to keep the theme ol’ fashion, because some of the best pie comes from “Simple, yet Seductive” ingredients. I also would like to let you know that I’ve decided to start doing guest appearances on a monthly basis, so expect to have a special pie recipe ready if you’d like to participate.

This pie’s ingredients are very seasonal and difficult to find at certain times of the year. After searching for nearly 2 weeks I was finally able to locate rhubarb. For those of you who don’t know what rhubarb is, let me paint you a mental picture. Imagine celery that has been dipped in red/pink paint and then rolled in sweet tarts. Don’t curl your lip and wrinkle your brow, it’s really rather good. Most people find it to be weird that they are eating a pie that is made out of vegetables, but once you experience it there is no turning back!

A Rhubarb History Lesson:

Did you know that rhubarb was originally brought over by Benjamin Franklin in 1772 because he believed, like the Chinese, that it was the cure for flatulence! Along with being a “Bean-o” substitution New Englanders quickly caught on to this tart, yet amazing vegetable and began using it in pastries, pies and homemade wine. In current day, believe it or not, the term “rhubarb” is a theatrical direction. For example, when a director wants to make background discussion with a group of people he has the actors repeat the word “rhubarb” over and over again!

Well that's probably all the facts and nonsense you need to hear for this little blurp, or shall i say blog. Let's get down to the good ol' seductive simplification.

Note: If you are reading my blog, please give me feedback. If you are reading my blog and you’re also making the recipes… give me even more feedback.


Ol’ Fashion Strawberry Rhubarb Pie:

Flakey Pie Dough:
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup lard
5 Tbsp cold butter (chopped into small pieces)
1/4 cup water (cold)
1 large egg lightly beaten

Note: Like the past two pie recipes, there are three basic steps you must follow in dough making. (Dry ingredients, fat ingredients, and then liquid.) Hopefully you’re catching on, and mastering pie dough!

In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt together. Add the lard and butter and cut in, using a pastry knife. Mix the water and egg together. Slowly add the liquid mixture while consistently stirring. (I’d recommend doing this slowly, you might not need the entire liquid mixture.)

Using parchment paper, you’ll probably need 4 sheets for each crust, place the dough between the paper using a sandwich technique. This will allow you to roll the dough without using flour. Roll out the dough. Once the dough is round and approximately 1/8 inch thick refrigerate for 2 hours. Do this for both crusts. This method makes it very easy to place the dough later, just remove the paper and bingo!

Filling:
3 cups strawberries (washed, hulled* and cut into small chunks)
3 cups of rhubarb (washed, cut into 1/2 inch)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1 pinch cardamom (ground)
*hulled: is the act of taking out the green stem/leaves/core from a strawberry.

Mix the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice and zest together. After everything is well mixed let the ingredients sit together at room temperature for approximately 15 minutes. This allows all the flavors to blend together. After your ingredients have become a nice juicily consistency sprinkle in the cornstarch and the cardamom and mix well. Set aside.

Take 1 of the pie shells out of the refrigerator and gently take the wax paper off of one side. Place into pie shell and remove other side of wax paper. Trim excess dough, approximate 1 inch hanging over. Pour in the rhubarb mixture. Take the additional dough out of refrigerator and place on top of filled pie shell. Crimp dough together and make a design with your fingertips or roll the dough over creating a braided look.

Goldening Lacquer
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp heavy cream
Sugar for dusting

With a fork mix together the egg yolk and the heavy cream. Using a pastry brush lightly brush the top and the edges of the pie. Do not over brush; you do not want a puddle of lacquer on top of your pie while it’s baking. Also, do not brush too hard or you will destroy your crust. Then sprinkle the top of the pie with sugar so that when it cooks the crust becomes candied. Cut a few slits in the top for steam ventilation and place in the oven. First bake at 400 for 10 minutes, and then lower the temperature to 350 for an additional 30 minutes.

After eating this pie I have to admit this pie is so delicious and it took about 30 minutes to make before I popped it into the oven (that’s if you make your dough previously). I think I am going to be adding this recipe to my "holiday pie list," granted the rhubarb supply at the local grocer stays consistent.