Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with a Lattice Top |

Once again, the photos in this post are by the fabulous Erin Feinblatt

Strawberry Rhubarb pie — it’s a classic. A quintessential late spring/early summer seasonal pie combination that’s the perfect way to use up all the delicious fruit that’s flooding my garden right now. Rhubarb has been a fun perennial to grow in huge wooden vats on the edge of my garden; I love its crispy texture and tart taste. Together with our harvest of sweet strawberries, it’s pretty hard to resist. I like this recipe because it keeps the pronounced flavors of the fresh berries and rhubarb without drowning them in a bunch of syrupy goo (yes, that’s a technical term). Hope you enjoy it as much as we did (if you don’t, I know a couple of girls who would gladly eat your leftovers)!

To see more of Elizabeth’s gorgeous work, check out her website at www.elizabethcolling.com

Here is a gallery of Erin’s Strawberry Rhubarb pie photos:

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with a Lattice Top

Note: Make the filling while the pie crust chills.

Preheat oven 400 degrees

Elizabeth’s Perfect Pie Crust

6 cups of sliced strawberries– about three slices from each berry

1 cup rhubarb – peeled and sliced in 1 inch coins (reserve the skins)

1 pinch salt

1/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 egg, for egg wash

1 tablespoon sanding sugar (optional)

Suggested Tools:

Glass pyrex pie dish – I like the glass pie dishes better than the earthenware ones. I know they’re not as pretty, but it’s handy to be able to actually see the bottom of the pie to make sure it’s the right golden-brown color.
Dough scraper
Pastry wheel – I like the old school wavy look, but you can also use a pizza cutter, too.
Scissors – to cut the excess pie crust after you do the lattice work.
Pastry brush – I like the silicone ones because the bristles don’t fall off onto the pie like the other ones do – also they are easier to keep clean.

Note: When Elizabeth and I made this pie together, she suggested I reserve the rhubarb skin for a simple syrup. Simply boil your peels in a pot with one cup of sugar and one cup of water. When the sugar dissolves, turn off the heat and let it cool. Strain and store in the fridge. The result will be a sweet-tart syrup for things like popsicles or even better… cocktails!

To make the crust, see Elizabeth’s Perfect Pie Crust.

Filling

Combine the strawberries, rhubarb, salt, sugar, and flour in a large bowl and let the ingredients sit together for about 20 minutes while you roll out your dough and cut the lattice.

Lattice

Roll your dough out on a lightly floured surface. Using a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, cut your dough into 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch strips. Weave the strips over your filled pie like this:

After you’ve made your lattice, trim the excess from the ends with scissors, then fold the overhang from the bottom crust over the top, and pinch to seal the edges.

Crack the egg into a small bowl and whisk with a fork. Using a pastry brush to brush the egg onto the pie crust and then sprinkle with sanding sugar.

Elizabeth suggests refrigerating the completed pie for about 30 minutes at this point, or you could pop it in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, then lower the heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour until the bottom of the crust (if you’re using a glass Pyrex pie dish) is golden brown. Be sure to check on your pie periodically so it does not burn. If it gets too dark around the edges or on top, cover the areas with aluminum foil strips.