The rhubarb and strawberry in the pie is a really nice combination in the spring when strawberries and good and rhubarb becomes available. You can adjust the rhubarb amount depending on how much you can get but I prefer half rhubarb or maybe 1/3 rhubarb if is hard to find or expensive. The rhubarb adds a tart flavor so you can adjust how much sugar you prefer. The tapioca helps to thicken the juices so does not get too juicy. The next day the filling thickens and the juices seep into the bottom crust adding nice flavor. The lemon adds nice tartness and helps bring out of flavor for both strawberry and rhubarb. You can use a lemon instead of orange. I use the same pie crust as the apple pie. The pie crust takes some feel to get the right moisture. If you leave too try becomes difficult to roll out and too wet the dough is not as flaky. Brushing an egg on top of the dough before baking adds some crispness and color to the pie crust. The pie is great with vanilla ice cream or just plain. I like for breakfast the next day. Is nice cold from fridge. Stays good for a few days if you last that long.
Ingredients
pie dough
- 3 cups (420g) flour
- 1t salt
- 2T sugar
- 1 4/5 sticks butter
- 3/5 cups shortening
- 8-10T ice water
mixture
- 3 cups chopped rhubarb
- 3 cups chopped strawberries
- 2T tapioca
- 3/4 to 1 cup sugar
- zest from 1/2 to 1 lemon (or orange)
- 2t lemon juice (or orange)
Steps
dough
- in large bowl whisk flour, salt, sugar
- freeze butter for 15-20m, grate with box grater over the flour mixutre
- break up shortening into small pieces
- with hands mix until feels like small pebbles or sand
- add 8T ice water mix with 2 butter knives
- mix until comes together into dough, may add 2-4 additonal T water
- separate into two balls one slightly larger
- press into disks about 2 inches thick wrap each in saran wrap
- place both on small plate for several hour, I usually make the day before leave in fridge
assemble pie
- preheat oven to 400 degrees F
- in bowl microwave rhubarb with 2T sugar for 60-90s
- let rhubarb drain
- add rhubard and strawberries to bowl, add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar depending on how sweet you prefer
- add tapioca, lemon zest, lemon juice
- dust with flour, roll out larger disc of dough to fit a 9 inch pie plate
- place dough on bottom on pie plate
- add fruit mixture
- roll out other dough to fit top of pie
- add dough top, cut or tear dough to fit and crimp with fork gently to press two pieces of dough together
- may optionally brush egg with bit of water for shinier top
- sprink another 1-2 T sugar top top of pie
- cut a few vents on pie top
- place pie on cookie sheet (pie will bubble) in oven
- lower temp to 350 immediately, will gradually lower to 350
- bake about 60m until top is brown and filling is bubbling
- let cool about an hour, serve warm, the longer you can wait the juices will thicken
- is good for a few days, keep in fridge
