Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

This year I decided to make one of his absolute favorites, strawberry rhubarb. It seemed only appropriate since both ingredients are in season and delicious together.

My go-to never fail pie crust recipe is courtesy of Martha Stewart. I printed it out for that first Father’s Day pie and I would be lost without it. My only adaptation is to use whole wheat pastry flour in place of the all-purpose flour.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup ice water, plus more if needed

Directions

1. In a food processor combine flour and salt. Pulse to combine.
2. Add butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (about 10 seconds).
3. With the food processor running, add ice water through feed tube in a slow, steady stream, just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky. DON’T process more than 30 seconds. Test by squeezing a small amount of dough together; if it’s still too crumbly add a little more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
4. Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface.
5. Divide in half and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Shape into flattened disks.
6. Wrap in the plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Ingredients

• Flour, for dusting
• Pate Brisee
• 4 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
• 4 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca or corn starch
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon cream or milk

Directions

1. On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper roll out one disk of the dough into a 12-inch or so round. Lay it into the 9-inch pie plate, pressing it into the edges. Trim dough to 1/2 inch overhang all the way around. Fold edge of dough over or under and crimp.
2. Roll out remaining disk of dough in the same way, transfer it on the parchment paper to a baking sheet. Chill the pie shell and dough for about 30 minutes.
3. Place the rhubarb and strawberry slices in a large bowl. Add sugar, tapioca (or corn starch) and lemon juice. Stir to combine.
4. Spoon the strawberry rhubarb mixture into the chilled pie shell, mounding slightly in the center. Dot with the pieces of butter.
5. For the rolled out dough on the baking sheet – you can either place it on top for a double crust pie, cut it into strips and make a lattice top, or use a cookie cutter to cut out a shape and layer the shapes as the top crust. If making the full double crust pie be sure to cut vent holes in the top of the dough.
6. Gently press the top and bottom dough together along the edges of the pie to seal.
7. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and milk. Brush the surface of the pie with egg wash being careful not to let it pool. If your top crust was done with the cookie cutter shapes gently brush the egg wash between the pieces. This helps them stick together.
8. Refrigerate the pie for 30 minutes.
9. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 400 degrees with the rack in the lower third.
10. Pie the pie on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Then, reduce heat to 350 and continue baking for 40 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through, until crust is deep golden brown and juices and bubbling.
11. Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool completely before serving. 

Most special occasions are celebrated with some sort of cake and that’s just fine. But, if you ask me, I think every occasion is better celebrated with pie.