Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Method23 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Pulse all the pastry flour (350 g), salt (1 tsp) and two tablespoons pastry sugar in a food processor until combined. Add the full cup of cold cubed pastry butter (1 cup) and pulse for about fifteen seconds, until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

   Uses 350 g plain flour for pastry · 1 tsp salt for pastry · 2 tbsp sugar for pastry · 1 cup cold butter for pastry

2. 2

   Step 2: Pour the first quarter-cup cold water through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream while pulsing, just until the dough begins to hold together when pinched.

   Uses All prepared coarse pastry mixture · ¼ cup cold water: first half of the available ½ cup

3. 3

   Step 3: If the dough is still too dry to hold when pinched, add only enough from the remaining quarter-cup cold water, a little at a time, to bring it together. Keep this water-mixing processing brief, no more than thirty seconds; do not automatically add all the remaining water.

   Uses All the pastry mixture after its first water addition · Remaining ¼ cup cold water available only if needed

4. 4

   Step 4: Turn out the complete dough, gather it into a ball, divide into two equal halves and flatten each half into a disc. Wrap both discs and refrigerate for about one hour.

   Chill both pastry discs · 60 minUses All completed pastry dough

5. 5

   Step 5: After the hour of chilling, check that both pastry discs are firm and cold enough to roll. Keep the second disc refrigerated while preparing the first.

   Uses Both pastry discs

6. 6

   Step 6: On a lightly floured surface, roll the first chilled disc to a 12-inch/30-cm circle, lifting and quarter-turning it as you roll from the centre outward. Fold it gently in half and transfer it into a 9-inch/23-cm pie pan, unfolding it without stretching.

   Uses First disc: half of the complete two-disc pastry batch · Extra flour to dust the rolling surface, as needed

7. 7

   Step 7: Brush away excess rolling flour. Trim the fitted pastry to leave about ½ inch / 1.5 cm beyond the pan rim. Cover and refrigerate this shell while making the filling.

   Uses All the fitted pastry shell

8. 8

   Step 8: Roll the second chilled disc on a lightly floured surface into a 13-inch circle. Cut it into strips about ¾ inch / 2 cm wide for the lattice.

   Uses Second disc: remaining half of the complete two-disc pastry batch · Extra flour to dust the rolling surface, as needed

9. 9

   Step 9: Lay all the lattice strips on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover and refrigerate for about ten minutes.

   Chill cut lattice strips · 10 minUses All the cut lattice pastry strips

10. 10

    Step 10: Wash and trim the rhubarb stalks (450 g), discarding any leaves, and cut into small pieces. Wash, hull and cut all the strawberries (450 g). Put both cut fruits in one large bowl. In a separate small bowl, mix all the filling cornstarch (3 tbsp), 150 g filling sugar and ground cinnamon (¼ tsp); keep this dry mixture separate from the fruit.

    Uses 450 g rhubarb stalks · 450 g strawberries · 3 tbsp cornstarch for filling · 150 g sugar for filling · ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

11. 11

    Step 11: Take the chilled pastry shell from the refrigerator. Sprinkle about two tablespoons of the prepared dry sugar-cornstarch-cinnamon mixture across its bottom, keeping the remaining mixture for the fruit.

    Uses All chilled bottom shell · About2tbsp of the prepared dry filling mixture; retain its remainder and all fruit

12. 12

    Step 12: Toss all the cut strawberries and rhubarb with the remaining prepared dry filling mixture, then pour this complete fruit filling into the sprinkled pastry shell.

    Uses All prepared bottom shell · All cut fruit and all remaining dry filling mixture after the 2 tbsp base sprinkle

13. 13

    Step 13: Sprinkle the filling with all the teaspoon of lemon juice (1 tsp) and dot it with the separate two tablespoons unsalted filling butter, cut into small pieces.

    Uses The complete filled pie shell · 1 tsp lemon juice · 2 tbsp unsalted butter to dot filling

14. 14

    Step 14: Remove all the chilled lattice strips. Starting in the centre with the longest strips, lay half of them across the filling about an inch / 2.5 cm apart, using shorter strips at the edges. Retain the other half for weaving across them. Fold every other laid strip halfway back and lay one retained strip perpendicular across the exposed filling. Unfold the lifted strips over it.

    Uses All prepared filled bottom shell · All the chilled lattice strips, using half now and retaining half for cross-strips

15. 15

    Step 15: Fold back the alternating strips that stayed down the first time, lay the next retained strip perpendicular, then unfold them. Repeat, working outward, until all the remaining lattice strips are woven across the filling.

    Uses All the partly woven pie and all remaining lattice strips

16. 16

    Step 16: Trim the lattice ends to about an inch / 2.5 cm beyond the rim. Fold the strip ends under the bottom pastry edge, seal and flute the border.

    Uses All the woven pie

17. 17

    Step 17: Brush the lattice with the milk (2 tbsp) and sprinkle it with the separate little sugar. Cover and refrigerate the assembled pie while the oven heats to 400 °F/205 °C, with a rack in the lower third.

    Uses All assembled lattice pie · 2 tbsp milk for brushing lattice · A little sugar for sprinkling over lattice

18. 18

    Step 18: Put a foil-lined baking sheet on the lower-third oven rack while the oven heats, ready to catch spills from the pie.

19. 19

    Step 19: Set the pie pan on the hot baking sheet. Bake at 400 °F/205 °C for about thirty-five minutes, then cover the rim with a foil ring if it is browning too much. Continue baking for about ten minutes more, until the pastry is golden and the fruit juices bubble through the lattice; continue as needed to reach those endpoints.

    Bake pie: 35 minutes, then about 10 minutes more · 45 minUses All the chilled ready-to-bake pie

20. 20

    Step 20: Lift the baked pie onto a wire rack and let it cool until the fruit filling has settled, allowing several hours before slicing.

    Uses The complete baked pie

21. 21

    Step 21: Once the filling has settled, refrigerate any pie not being served, covered to protect the pastry. Warm refrigerated slices before serving if wanted.

    Uses The whole cooled pie

22. 22

    Step 22: If freezing some of the cooled pie, wrap those portions well in freezer-suitable packaging and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator before warming and serving; keep the rest ready for serving or refrigerated storage.

    Uses The cooled pie or leftover slices

23. 23

    Step 23: Slice the settled 9-inch/23-cm pie into portions as desired. Serve the cooled pie at room temperature, or warm refrigerated slices, with optional softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

    Uses Cooled pie portion being served · Softly whipped cream to serve, as desired · Vanilla ice cream to serve, as desired