Cambridge Cooks: Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Cambridge Cooks: Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Photos: Debra Pearlman

This recipe comes via my niece and her mother. I'm told that Gretchen's crust is "to die for." Of course, you can use store bought crust, but nothing tastes like homemade!

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PIE

WHAT YOU NEED:

2 Pie Crusts (see recipe below)
1 pint strawberries (approx. 2.5 cups)
2-3 stalks of rhubarb (approx. 2 cups)
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1.5 cups white sugar

WHAT YOU DO:

1. Wash and slice strawberries and rhubarb to make 4-5 cups of filling

2. Combine dry ingredients and then stir into strawberry and rhubarb mixture. Let this get juicy while you make the crust.

3. Pour the juicy filling goodness into bottom pie crust and cover with the thop crust. Make sure to cut a slit in it, to vent the pie.

4. Cover the edges with foil to keep them from getting too brown.

5. Bake at 425 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

6. Let the pie cool a bit before eating, as this will allow the insides to create a nice gel.


HOMEMADE PIE CRUST - A LA GRETCHEN or MOM'S PIE CRUST

WHAT YOU NEED: (One Crust - double recipe for 2 crusts)

1 cup + 2 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp water (approximately)

WHAT YOU DO:

1. Combine flour and salt. Cut up Crisco into about 2 tbsp. globs/clumps/slices, reserve about 1-2 tbsp. of above to add if you need the right texture.

2. Cut shortening into flour mixture, until you get pea sized lumps. NOTE: if you have a course meal texture, add the remaining shortening a little at a time (.5-1 tbsp).

Once you get the clumping pea texture, add water 1-2 Tbsp at a time, stirring with a fork. You want it just moist enough so that it starts to stick together and form a large lump.

3. Roll out on a floured pastry cloth (half the dough if you made a batch for 2 crusts). Once you have it to the approximate size of your pie plate (it should be larger as it will need to fit down into the pie plate), roll the pastry over the rolling pin by lifting pastry cloth and draping pastry over pin as you roll backwards.

4. Slide onto pie plate and push down into shape. Trim edges if a lot is hanging over and add remaining dough to second crust. I use slightly more than half for the bottom crust as it is larger.

5. Fill pie with filling

6. Repeat step 3 and place onto of filling

7. Crimp sides of 2 crusts together.

NOTE: I find that the secret to working with any pastry dough is to work quickly so the dough does not get too sticky or warm.