*This post is from last spring, but I made it again today for "Pi Day" and felt the need to re-post!
We went strawberry picking last week with the girls and thanks to the perfect weather ended up picking close to thirteen pounds of strawberries! After giving a few pounds away and freezing some to make strawberry ice cream this summer I still had enough to make Strawberry Rhubarb Pie! I had high hopes in finding fresh rhubarb in central Texas but it didn't happen, (let me know if you see it anywhere) so I settled on frozen. Which created an entirely new issue, finding a recipe that accommodated fresh strawberries and frozen rhubarb. I couldn't find one, so I decided to adjust Sally's recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction (click here for original recipe) to accommodate what I had on hand. I tweaked her recipe and paired it with the best flaky pie crust you have ever had (a recipe my sister gave me last year). It could not have turned out better! It's the best combination of sweet and tart and pairs perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! Check it out below and let me know how yours turns out!
Ingredients:
pie crust (recipe below - makes enough for top and bottom)
1.5 cups frozen rhubarb thawed and dried
3 cups chopped strawberries
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk (for egg wash)
optional: coarse sugar for garnish
Directions:
Prepare your crust (recipe below) - If you really want to make this pie but don't want to make your own crust feel free to use store bought crust, but I promise this crust is worth the work!
Preheat Oven to 400 F
Prepare Pie Filling. I recommend doing this immediately after you finish your dough. Both need to sit before baking so the timing will work out well. Mix rhubarb, strawberries, brown sugar, sugar, corn starch, salt, orange juice & vanilla in large bowl. After mixing allow it to sit so the juices run to the bottom.
Prepare pie dish. I find that coating with butter or non stick spray and adding a flour coating work best
Remove first half of dough from the fridge (let set, to soften). Roll out evenly until large enough to cover pie dish. *If using my pie crust recipe this is for a flaky crust, it most likely will not roll out perfectly or be pretty, just patch as needed.
Place dough into pie dish, using a slotted spoon (to keep extra juices out) spoon filling into the pie dish. Discard remaining juice in mixing bowl. Place butter pieces on top of filling.
Remove second pie dough from fridge, (let set, to soften) roll out and cover pie. Trim, crimp the edges closed and cut vent slits on top.
Finish with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired
Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes. Leaving pie in the oven turn the temperature down to 350 F and bake for another 25-30 minutes making sure to keep an eye on your crust edges.
Remove from oven and allow to sit for 2-3 hours before serving.
Best Ever Flaky Pie Crust Recipe!
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
8 tablespoons crisco - chilled*
12 tablespoons unsalted butter - chilled and cut into 1-inch pieces*
5-6 tablespoons ice water
*to chill, just stick in the freezer for 15-20 minutes
Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and sea salt.
Scatter the chilled crisco over the flour mixture and incorporate using two butter knives or your hands
Scatter the chilled butter over the flour mixture and incorporate it using two butter knives or your hands
Sprinkle ice water over the dough one tablespoon at a time. Press the dough together with the back of a spoon or spatula after each tablespoon. Once the dough has come together, stop adding ice water.
Divide the dough into two pieces. Then flatten the dough into disks. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
When you ready for the dough, let it set at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften.
