Strawberry Rhubarb Pie!

Making a pie crust is much simpler and substantially less daunting than most people think. Don’t let making pie crust feel too hard to stop you from doing it; the results from a homemade pie are infinity better than a crust from the store. (unless it’s Mary-Ann Steele baking J

We often forget about our hands as tools and reach for the butter cutter or spatula. Let this recipe be a true hands-on experience. Get your hands in the dough, the strawberries and the rhubarb. You’ll be able to taste the love and marvel at the versatility of our hands. The best part is having less dishes to wash at the end of it!

It is simply really, just let your hands do the work and don’t over work the dough.

Pie crust—For top and bottom pie

2 ½ cup flour

1 tbl sugar

½ tsp salt

8 oz butter cut in ½ inch pieces

½ cup ice water

Make sure the butter and water are cold to start. I believe in using our hands as tools, but some people prefer a butter cutter.

Mix the flour, sugar and salt together. Add the butter and mix with your hands until the mixture resembles peas and crumbs. Peas and crumbs. Repeat it to yourself. Once the mixture resembles peas and crumbs add the ice water. Depending on the day, the season and how hot your hands are, you might need more or less water. Start with the ½ cup and fluff the water into the mixture. The key here is gentle coaxing and fluffing. You are not trying to force, knead, or muscle your way into this pie dough. It is a delicate creature and likes to be treated as such. Gently fluff the water into the dough until it just begins to come together. You should still be able to see little pieces of butter in the dough. Shape it into 2 balls. Again the trick here is being gentle. Coax and ease it into two balls, now is not the time for packing it into your hand like play-dough. Once you have it in two balls tuck it into saran wrap and refrigerate it while you make the filling.

**Note: you do not always have to refridgerate the dough before rolling it out, but I believe that it comes out better if it is given time to rest before baking.

Strawberry Rhubarb Filling

4 baskets of strawberries (2 boxes)

1 tbl sugar

1 tbl flour

1 tsp cinnamon

10 stalks rhubarb

1 cup sugar

1 ½ cup water

I recently found this new trick for rhubarb pies and I absolutely love it! My rhubarb pies are always either soupy but flavorful or the right consistency but dull from the cornstarch or flour. This trick came from the book “The Sweet Life” which a secret fairy gifted me this winter and has been a source of inspiration for sweet treats and new ideas.

For the rhubarb: Chop the rhubarb into ½ inch pieces, and combine in a saucepan with 1 cup sugar and 1 ½ cup water. Bring the sauce to a boil and let boil for 3 minutes without stirring. Then take off heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. In “The Sweet Life” she strains the mixture with cheesecloth and a strainer over a bowl. If you’re like me, then you probably don’t have cheesecloth lying around. I work in a professional kitchen and I couldn’t even find cheesecloth today. So I just used a strainer and it seemed to work just fine. Put the strainer over a bowl and let the mixture strain until all the juice has come out.

Keep the rhubarb juice. You can use it to spice up your water, thicken for an ice cream sauce, or make fruit soup.

Use the rhubarb compote for the filling to this pie!

Now, for the strawberries, slice them into thin slices and combine in a bowl with the flour, sugar, cinnamon and rhubarb compote. Roll out your pie dough and gently place into a pie pan. Spoon the filling into the pie (be sure to use your hands for this, and then lick them afterwards!). Roll out the second piece of dough and place on top. Fold the edges over, crimp them, smash them with your fingers: your pick. Then design a steam hole (I usually do a heart, sun or baby face) and use a paring knife to cut the steam hole into the pie.

Crack an egg and a splash of cream into a bowl and brush it on top of the pie and sprinkle with sugar for a beautiful finish.

Bake at 400 for about an hour, but check it regularly. It is done when the top is golden brown and everyone in your house is begging you to take it out and eat. 

Beautiful! Make two pies and give one away to your neighbor. 

Happy pie eating! Fill your homemade crusts with local fruit and berries. Let yourself feel proud of your homemade crust and remember to eat it slowly and softly, allowing your tongue to take in the sweet, the sour and the love of it all.