Rhubarb–Strawberry Pie
Home baker Louise Piper won a 1997 blue ribbon at the Iowa State Fair with this pie. The recipe appeared in Leah Eskin's "State Fair" (July/August 1998).
Enlarge Image
Credit: Christopher Hirsheimer
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE CRUST:2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
6 tbsp. cold milk
FOR THE FILLING:
1¼ cups plus 2 tsp. sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups thinly sliced rhubarb
3 cups halved and hulled strawberries
2 tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces
2 tsp. milk
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400°. For the crust: Sift together flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Measure oil into a measuring cup, then add milk, but don't stir together. Pour oil and milk into flour mixture. Stir until dough just holds together. Divide dough in half, shape into 2 balls, and flatten slightly. Roll out each ball between two sheets of wax paper into 12" rounds. Transfer one pastry round (discarding wax paper) into a 9" pie plate, and set other pastry round aside.2. For the filling: Mix together 1¼ cups of the sugar, flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl, then add rhubarb and strawberries, tossing well to coat evenly.
3. Fill bottom crust with rhubarb–strawberry mixture and scatter butter on top. Cover with remaining pastry round (discarding wax paper) and crimp edges together to seal. Score top to allow steam to escape, brush with milk, and sprinkle with remaining 2 tsp. sugar. Place pie on a baking sheet and bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, about 50 minutes. If edge of crust browns too quickly, cover edge with a strip of aluminum foil to prevent burning. Allow pie to cool for 1 hour before serving.
the crust recipe is ludicrous--milk and vegetable oil? good luck. of course they had a problem with the crust.
i also would not adulterate the flavors with nutmeg and cinnamon.
I had difficulty with the crust in that there wasn't enough to make the top and bottom crusts. Perpaps I have a bigger pie dish than usual? Otherwise, it was easy and delicious!