I adore this pie, which I start making in June, when fresh strawberries come into season on the heels of May’s rhubarb. Early on in life, I discovered that cooking special things made both other people and me happy—and the fact that you took the time to do it (instead of just stopping off at the bakery) shows you care. For years I made my dough by hand, a skill that is handy to master; but now I use a food processor if it’s available. Serve the pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
— Lucinda Scala Quinn
• ON-DEMAND: Listen to The Food Schmooze® gang talk to Lucinda about this recipe, as well as others that are perfect for Father’s Day. •
Excerpted from Mad Hungry: Feeding Men & Boys by Lucinda Scala Quinn (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2009. Photographs by Mikkel Vang.
Read our book review to see more recipes from Lucinda’s book.
| Servings |
| 1 9-inch pie with a lattice top or with a double crust |
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Rhubarb alone is a pie that only purists covet. But rhubarb mixed with berries is a popular and flavorful combination of both tart and sweet. For this pie, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or cherries can be substituted for the strawberries.
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- 1 recipe Basic Pie Dough (See link in recipe notes below)
- 3 cups sliced strawberries
- 4 cups sliced rhubarb
- 1-1/2 cups sugar plus 2 teaspoons for sprinkling
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus more for rolling out the dough
- 1-1/4 teaspoons Course salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon milk
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Position the racks in the center of the oven and in the lower third.
- On a well-floured surface, roll out one piece of dough to about 11 inches in diameter and lay it in the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Trim the edges of the dough flush with the edge of the pie plate’s rim. Roll out the other piece of dough. Cut it into strips for a lattice crust, if desired, or leave intact.
- In a large bowl, combine the strawberries, rhubarb, and the 1-1/2 cups sugar. Stir in the flour and salt, coating most of the fruit. Place the fruit in the dough-lined pie plate. Dot with the butter.
- To make a lattice crust, lay half the strips of dough across in one direction, half in the other. Carefully weave them in and out of each other to create a basketweave pattern. Or, lay the entire piece of dough over the filling to create a top crust. Trim the edges of the top crust or dough strips so they hang over the bottom crust by at least 3/4 inch. Tuck the top crust edges under the bottom crust and roll under all around. Pinch together to close. Crimp the edges with fingers or press with a fork. Chill the pie for a few minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and milk. If using an entire crust, cut slits in the top to allow steam to escape during baking. Brush the egg mixture evenly over the lattice or crust, being careful not to block the slits. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar.
- Place a cookie sheet on the lower rack to catch any overflowing juices from the pie. Place the pie on the center rack and bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 400°F. Continue to bake until golden brown and cooked through, 50 to 60 more minutes. Cool on a wire cooling rack for 1 hour before serving.
