‘Tis the season to enjoy fresh rhubarb. If you are a fan, that is. And I am indeed a fan… from raw straight out of the garden to cooked down into a sauce. Strawberries prove to be the perfect companion as they impart a melt-in-your-mouth sweetness to the crazy sour tartness of rhubarb. In a pie, this combo is one of hubby’s favorites. He wanted one for Christmas, but I’d run out of frozen rhubarb. Now fresh rhubarb flourishes, so I could bring on the pie. Enjoy it warm out of the oven with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for a lusciously decadent treat.
Cathy’s Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie
4 c rhubarb, thick stalks cut in half lengthwise; all sliced into ½” pieces
2 c strawberry slices (thick or thin, your preference)
¼ c lt brown sugar (or substitute)
1 (6-oz) sugar-free strawberry Jell-O
2 T instant tapioca
2 T flour
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp orange zest
¼ tsp salt
¼ – ½ tsp almond extract, optional
Pastry for 2-crust (9 or 10” pie), fresh or frozen
2 T cold butter, cut into tiny pieces
For glazing the crust:
Either 2 T milk & 2 T sugar
Or
1 large egg yolk, beaten with 1 tsp water
In large bowl, combine sugar, tapioca, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, zest & salt; toss well with berry-rhubarb combination till coated; sprinkle extract over top and toss well again. Pour into prepared pastry shell. Dot with butter. Cut 2nd pastry into ½ – ¾” strips and weave a lattice top for pie. Fold ends under at edges; press to seal; crimp edges. Brush lattice with milk; sprinkle with sugar OR brush with egg yolk wash.
Bake at 400ºF for 20 min. Reduce heat to 350ºF and bake additional 25-35 min till crust is golden and filling is thickened & bubbly. Cool on wire rack to desired temperature. (Cooling allows juices time to thicken.)
Tip: Depending on your oven, you may need to protect crust edges with foil for last 10 min to prevent from getting too dark.
