Grandma's Rhubarb Pie!

Rhubarb is one of the first fresh garden products of the season in cold climates. The stalks of these perennials are most often used in pies, which is why rhubarb is sometimes referred to as "pie plant." Although rhubarb is considered a vegetable, in 1947, a New York court decided that because rhubarb was used as a fruit in the United States, it was to be considered fruit, thus reducing tariffs on imported rhubarb. If you've never cooked with rhubarb before, I have a fabulous old-fashion recipe for you!

I feel it's important to preserve recipes from the past. Those personal recipes of honest home cooking are our history, it's what makes us American, it's what makes us family. This recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Pie is from the wonderful Ruth Zylich of Barton, New York. This slightly sweet and slightly tart pie is a favorite of my husband and all of his family. Sometimes it's nice to take a deep breath and revisit the classics from our past.

Ruth's Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Ingredients:

2 cups cubed rhubarb

1 cup cubed strawberries

2 eggs

2 heaping tablespoons flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Cinnamon, sugar, and 1 tablespoon butter, to finish the top crust

1 double-crust 9" pie dough (recipe below)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the rhubarb and strawberries in a 9" unbaked pie shell.

Mix the eggs, flour, sugar, and salt together and pour over the top of the rhubarb and strawberries.

Place the second pie crust over the top, trim and crimp the edges to seal. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon and sugar. Cut 4 slits on the top and dot with the butter.

Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven to 350 degrees and continue to cook for 45 minutes, or until the rhubarb is done.

Double-Crust 9" Pie Dough

Recipe from America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup vegetable shortening, chilled

12 tablespoons (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4" pieces

6-8 tablespoons ice water

Directions:

Process the flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined. Add the shortening and process until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand, about 10 seconds. Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture; cut the butter into the flour until the mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse crumbs, with butter bits no larger than small peas, about ten 1-second pulses. Turn the mixture into a medium bowl.

Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture. With a rubber spatula, use a folding motion to mix. Press down on the dough with the broad side of the spatula until the dough sticks together, adding up to 2 tablespoons more ice water if the dough will not come together. Divide the dough into 2 balls and flatten each into a 4" disk. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 2 days before rolling.