Rhubarb Raspberry Pie and Never-Fail Piecrust

This rhubarb raspberry pie is number twelve from my collection of favorites. It's tart but not too tart. Sweet but not too sweet.

I'll be honest with you here: it's really best made in the summertime if you happen to have some giant elephant-ear-sized stalks of rhubarb growing in a patch in your yard -- walking outside in the morning, barefoot through the dewy grass, kneeling down to rock the stalks back and forth until they come loose, falling backwards with a scream if any spiders should appear... can you tell I miss summer already and it's only November?

But it's also a good pie for this time of year. I've made it for the Thanksgiving table before -- the tartness of the rhubarb and berries has just the right amount of zing to remind you of cranberries.

raspberries, picked on a much warmer day in mom's backyard

Rhubarb Raspberry Pie

Makes one 9-inch pie

1 1/2 lbs rhubarb, ends trimmed, stalks sliced crosswise into half-inch slices, enough to measure 4 cups

1 c plus 2 T sugar

1/2 t cinnamon

3 T cornstarch

3 T fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 c raspberries, fresh or frozen

1 egg

1 T milk

Double pie crust (use your own recipe or a frozen storebought crust or try my favorite piecrust recipe below)

Vanilla ice cream is nice on the side

In a large pot, stir together 3 cups rhubarb (reserve remaining cup for later), 1 cup sugar, and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is melted, about 6 minutes.

In a small bowl stir together cornstarch and lemon juice. Add cornstarch mixture to rhubarb mixture and boil, stirring constantly, until rhubarb is thickened, about 5 minutes, and transfer mixture to a bowl. Cool mixture to room temperature, about 30 minutes. 

Fold raspberries and remaining cup rhubarb into mixture until just combined. Chill rhubarb filling, covered, at least 30 minutes, or until cold.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and prepare piecrust if you're making your own.

In a small bowl whisk together egg and milk to make an egg wash. Put bottom crust in a a 9-inch pie plate and trim edges with scissors, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Spoon rhubarb filling evenly into shell and brush edge of crust with egg wash. Drape remaining pastry round over filling and trim, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Crimp edge decoratively. With a sharp small knife score a decorative pattern on crust and brush crust evenly with some egg wash. Sprinkle crust with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.

Bake pie on a baking sheet in middle of oven 35 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and cooked through. (If pastry gets too brown too quickly, tent pie with foil.) Transfer pie to a rack. Cool pie at least 1 hour to set filling.

Serve with ice cream.

Here's my favorite piecrust recipe -- not because I think it's absolutely the best piecrust out there (it doesn't have butter, after all). But it's very good and it mixes up quickly with an electric mixer -- no cutting in butter. And it freezes well, which is a good thing because this recipe makes four single crusts at once. I'm surprised I haven't posted it till now:

Never-Fail Piecrust

Makes enough pastry for two 9-inch double-crust pies.

4 c all-purpose flour

1 t baking powder

1 t salt

1 t sugar

1 3/4 c vegetable shortening

1 egg

1 t cider vinegar

1/2 c cold water

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add shortening and beat until mixture is crumbly. In a small bowl, beat egg well and add the vinegar and water. Pour over flour-shortening mixture and beat until well combined. Form dough into 4 balls, wrap, and refrigerate what you're going to use. Freeze the ones you're saving for later.

Comments

[April]

Yum! I have never had rhubarb with raspberries! It sounds wonderful! I can't find rhubard here all year, only certain times of the year...oh how I miss the summer time already too!

[Constance]

That's my favorite piecrust recipe too. Same reasons, same caveat. See what I mean? This must be the grownup version of "Oh my God!!! You like Johnny Depp too!!! We are soooooooo alike!"

[Tartelette]

I don't comment often, but reads on the other hand all the time and I am thoroughly enjoying you November posts! Keep them coming, they are a pleasure to the eyes and the imagination.

[molly]

i love johnny depp. sssiiggghhhh. You are my soul sister, Constance.

[molly]

Thanks, Tartlette. I read you too.

[Val]

Johnny Depp over Kid Rock?

[molly]

any day, val. any day.