Strawberry rhubarb pie



As I was flipping through my photos, it struck me that this pie is a bit like Vancouver right now [well, Vancouver two days ago when I started writing this post]: seasonally confused.

On one hand, we have rhubarb and strawberries, a pink partnership that screams! summer! and begs for an à la mode chill. But dig a little deeper and you'll find your taste buds heading in a completely different direction—namely Christmas—with wintry flavours like cinnamon, cloves and allspice.

One minute you're envisioning a glass of raspberry lemonade on your imaginary porch, the next you'd be down with a fireside hot toddy.

Cognitive dissonance at its most delicious.






Exhibit A:


Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Your favourite pastry, enough for top and bottom

Filling:
600 grams rhubarb, sliced 1.5 centimetres thick (about 4 cups)
500 grams strawberries, hulled and sliced 1.5 centimetres thick (about 2-1/2 cups)
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup plus 1-1/2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

Egg wash:
1 egg
1 teaspoon water
Coarse sugar (optional)

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, gently toss the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, tapioca, orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and salt. Set the mixture aside while you roll out the pastry.

Once you've lined your pie plate with pastry and rolled out the top, prepare your egg wash by whisking together the egg and water. Now let's put this pie together.

Spoon the filling into the pie shell. Avoid the heartbreak that is soupy pie by leaving that juice that's puddled at the bottom of the bowl behind. Don't think too hard about it or you'll make a bad decision (see exhibit A).

Now dot the top of the filling with cold butter, brush the rim with egg wash and cover it all with another layer of pastry. Seal and finish the edges of the pie as you like.

Mark the top with SR, brush with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Place the pie plate on a cookie sheet and bake for 70-80 minutes until golden brown.

Sources: The filling is a metric adaptation of Fine Cooking's Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie. The pastry is Pim's perfect pie dough.

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