Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

If I had to choose a favorite kind of pie, I would probably make my choice according to season. In the Fall/Winter, especially at Thanksgiving, pecan pie is my top choice. In the Spring/Summer, I salivate for strawberry rhubarb pie. Mmmmmmmm! There is nothing like a good slice of warm strawberry rhubarb pie with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. The combination of tangy and sweet is just perfect. 

Growing up, I enjoyed strawberry rhubarb pie made by the hands of my grandmother and mother. It has always been a treat to have someone else make something I love. And, quite honestly, I was just afraid to try making it myself. Well, when a co-worker told me she had some rhubarb to get rid of, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to make this pie for myself.

I already knew the basic ingredients for the pie but was unable to locate my recipe. Thus, I used an online recipe as a guide and made my own adjustments. It turned out perfect! My husband, who hates this particular type of pie, told me it was good (after more than one bite). I took it to work, and my co-workers enjoyed it too. My boss told me she thought it was good enough to enter in a contest. Whoa! And, she asked if the crust was homemade. Well, from the pictures below you’ll see that I didn’t go that far, but I was pretty proud of my first Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.

The Ingredients: 
  
Pillsbury pie crusts*, Strawberries, Rhubarb.
Also needed: Sugar, Tapioca, Salt
Optional: Grated orange peel (I did not use this)

*One box of Pillsbury pie crusts (two crusts) will suffice for one pie.

Mixing sweet  and sour . . .1 cup of stemmed and sliced strawberries (I used about 1-1/4 cups)

I decided to hull my strawberries just because it’s fun. See my tip below for a quick (easy and cheap) way to hull a strawberry

3 cups of rhubarb stalks cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Combine strawberries and rhubarb. Add 1 cup of sugar,
3 Tablespoons of Tapioca, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Optional: Add 1 teaspoon of grated orange peel (I did not add this)

Let mixture set for 10 minutes.

I actually let this sit (in fridge) for 1-1/2 hours because I had something else in the oven and wasn’t ready to bake it. I think letting it sit longer actually help sweetened it.

Putting it all together . . .  
Add mixture to a pastry-lined 9” pie dish.

 
Top with the pastry, trim the edge, and crimp the top and bottom edges together. Cut slits in the top for the steam to escape. I also brushed the crust with an egg wash (water mixed with egg)
Optional: Add a heart!

My “crimping” is awful, but I promise that it does not affect the taste.

Into the oven . . . Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 30-40 minutes longer. I didn’t want my crust to brown too much so I used a pie protector (seen above). 

The finished product . . .Maybe I should call it “Bleeding Hearts” pie.

The longer this pie cools, the more it will thicken up. I could hardly wait to try a bite so I only let it cool for about 10 minutes.

DELICIOUS!!!

I was so happy how this pie turned out. I’ve always used ice cream to sweeten the “tang” of strawberry rhubarb pie. And, I typically only like pie when it’s warmed up. I didn’t need any ice cream with this pie, and I thought it was good straight from the fridge. Mmmm…yummy!

Oh, by the way . . . my tip for hulling a strawberry  . . .

As easy as  . . .

1

2

3                      All it takes is a sturdy drinking straw!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Ingredients:  
  1 cup strawberries, stemmed and sliced (hulling is optional)
  3 cups rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  1 cup sugar 
  3 Tablespoons of quick cooking tapioca (eg, Minute Tapioca)
  1/4 teaspoon of salt
  Unbaked pastry for two-crust 9 inch pie (Ieg, Pillsbury pie crusts)
  Optional: 1 teaspoon of grated orange peel

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Mix the rhubarb and the strawberries with the sugar, tapioca, and salt (if desired, add orange peel). Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes
or longer.
3. Add mixture to a pastry-lined pie dish. 
4. Top with the second pastry, trim the edge, and crimp the top and bottom edges together. Cut slits in the top for the steam to escape. If desired, brush the top of the crust with an egg wash (water mixed with egg).
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 30-40 minutes longer.
6. Cool on rack.

Notes:
According to the site I use to adapt this recipe, if you are making a 10 inch pie, or just want more filling, use 4.5 cups of rhubarb, 1.5 cups strawberries, and 1 1/4 cup of sugar. I made a 9 inch pie but did add more sugar and strawberries.

To keep crust from browning, use a metal pie protector or place foil around the edges. If the crusts needs to brown slightly, remove  the pie protector/foil for the last five minutes of cooking time.

I hope you enjoy this pie as much I did!