Linda's Strawberry/Rhubarb Pie

Linda's Strawberry/Rhubarb Pie (my brother-in-law swears it's the best he has ever eaten and he has eaten a few)

The crust is just your typical double crust 9" pie crust using lard. This is mine
In the bowl of a food processor with the blade in the bottom add the following (or you can do it by hand using a pastry cutter and get the same results with less arm work)

2 C all purpose flour
2/3 C chilled lard
1 tsp salt
Work this in the which every method you choose to a course meal. (I have a food processor and found that I really like making my pie crust using it. I put the flour and salt in and then pulse it to blend the two and then add in the lard cut into chunks. I pulse it to a course meal stage and then add the ice water slowly until it comes together in a workable ball of dough. I turn that on to a pastry cloth or lightly floured work surface and divide into 2 equal portions. Wrap the portions in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes before rolling out to the size needed for the pie.) However, for years I have used the old hand pastry cutter and it works really well but takes more effort. Slowly work in 4-5 Tbsps of ice water. After about the 3rd tbsp. kind of take it easy with putting water to it, do it just a tiny bit at a time. You just want to water to allow the dough to be made into a ball that doesn't readily fall apart when you handle it. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Place on portion a plastic wrap in the refrigerator and work the other on a pastry cloth or lightly floured surface. Betty uses a stocking on her rolling pin and I like it well enough but I also like using my marble rolling pin. Roll the dough out in to a fairly evenly round circle to fit your pie pan, turning and applying flour very lightly as you work the dough out into the size you need.

Place the dough in a pie pan of your choice but I would suggest spaying it with Non-Stick (PAM). There should be dough hanging over the sides. If there are gaps around the edge where the sides of the crust doesn't meet the lip of the pie pan, use some of the over hanging dough to form what ever patches you need to make. The patches would need to wetted and applied to the wetted area that falls short of meeting the edge.



The filling goes like this and I am going to tell you how it goes using frozen fruit.

1 pkg of sliced rhubarb from the freezer case(no sugar added and just let them thaw about half way and pour off the thawed water)
1 pkg of whole strawberries from the freezer case (again, with no sugar added, thaw them to remove ice between the berries and soften them a bit)
1 C sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon (I like to grind mine fresh but the stuff from the store will work)
1/4 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg (yes you can us the stuff from the store but you are missing a treat)
Dash of salt
1/2 C corn starch
dab of butter on the top
1/2 tsp. lemon juice (optional)
Mix this us well and pour into the prepared bottom crust of the your pie. Even it out as best you can in the process.
Roll out your top crust and here is where you can get pretty. My family usually cuts a elongated S (kind of stretch it out a bit) into the center and then with the tip of a table knife just stick it into the dough on the left side of the top of the S around the curve and then on the right side of the bottom of the S. Them take the tip of the knife and twirl it in place on the inside of the top and bottom curves and at the top and bottom of the S. Some will tell you that this is a a Double Wheat. It always says Mom made it to me and I know that I am in for a treat.

Apply your top crust, seal (apply water from the tips of your fingers to the edge of the crust and press the top crust to the bottom to form a seal) and flute as your like (here again, in my family we lift the sealed edge up a bit and then using the thumb and first finger of the left hand and the first finger of the right, we pinch a bit of the scallop all the way around). Spread a bit of soft butter hear and there over the top and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar ( cream will work as well as the butter).

Bake at 425F or 45 minutes.

I would suggest putting this on one of those oven saver rings and applying a crust saver to the top edges to keep your fluting pretty. I also almost always use a glass pie pan and spray it with non-stick to have good release and the glass just makes the crust brown a bit nicer than my experience with metal.

I have learned a few thing in my years of banging around the kitchen.

* fruit pies like to be seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg and if it is apple it like a bit of cardamom as well.
* If you are using these spices you need to add a tsp. of vanilla to make them shine in taste. Vanilla is my friend and I use the real thing. I don't care what any one says, there is a difference, even in making cookies.
* pies made with "stone fruit" (cherries, peaches and the like) also like just a touch of Almond extract. Never more than a 1/4 tsp. but just the hint does something wonderful
* Butter under the top crust is the glue that binds all of the flavors together. I told you once before that your fats are the vehicle that moves flavors around your mouth and it is still true.
* the only pies that I turn the heat down on during the baking are pumpkin and sweet potato pie. For some reason the custard need to have that temp a bit lower.

God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda