like grandma's

I was randomly given rhubarb out of someone's garden on Saturday. (Do people really buy rhubarb from the grocery store?) The only thing I know how to do with rhubarb is make pie. My grandma used to make strawberry rhubarb pie with the fixin's from her garden. I had never made it personally but it turned out very well and it was such a comfort to eat out side on a warm summer evening. I might have to make this once a year from now on...


Crust :: adapted from fine cooking.

8 oz. (1 cup) cold unsalted butter
9 oz. (2 cups) all-purpose unbleached flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cold water*

Add the flour, sugar, and salt into a bowl. Mix for a second or two to incorporate. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch pieces and add the butter to the dry ingredients. Mixing on low work the mixture until it's crumbly and the largest pieces of butter are no bigger than a pea (about 1/4 inch). The butter should remain cold and firm throughout mixing.

Sprinkle the cold water evenly over the flour and butter. (*I found that 1/4 cup wasn't enough but I would start out with that amount and add by the tablespoon until the dough is proper consistency.) Work the dough until it just pulls together as a shaggy mass. At this point stop mixing and get after it by hand to shape it into two round sections.

To roll out the dough for a double-crust pie pat each piece into a thick flattened ball. Lightly flour your work surface and tap one of the dough balls down with four or five taps of the rolling pan. Begin rolling from the center of your dough outward. Stop the pressure 1/4 inch from the edge of the dough. Lift the dough and turn by a quarter and repeat the rolling until the dough is at least 12 inches in diameter. Be sure to re-flour the work surface if your dough is sticking.

Filling :: partly adapted from grandma, my mother in law's cousin (get that?) and epicurious.

2 large rhubarb stalks trimmed to 1/2-inch-thick slices.
1 16-ounce container strawberries, hulled, halved (about 3 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
a skimpy 1/2 cup of flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom

1 large egg yolk beaten to blend with 1 teaspoon water (for glaze)

Spoon filling into crust. Layer with second crust pressing to seal. Crimp edges. Brush glaze over crust. Transfer pie to baking sheet to catch the drippings in the overn. Bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake pie until golden and filling thickens, about 1 hour 25 minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool completely.

I am having a hard time not eating some for breakfast.