Strawberry Rhubarb Pie- The Best of Summer on a Fork!

October 19, 2015

Healthy

I don't know where the time has gone. It is no longer summer. In fact, we've just had our first frost. But, when I originally made this delicious pie and wrote this post, it was.

I've been in the kitchen a lot since we made the move to Maryland. The food options in our immediate neighborhood are mostly chains (nothing particularly exciting) cooking at home (unless we make the trek to DC, Alexandria or Baltimore) is the preferable option.

I am smitten by my new spacious kitchen. Making food from scratch gives me endless gratification. It is no exaggeration to say that I spent the latter part of August and all of September in the kitchen.

I experimented with new dishes, soups and deserts.

I harvested herbs from my garden, explored new seasonal gems (ahem rhubarb).

My strawberry rhubarb pie, 100% in season when I made it, turned out wonderfully!

I used fresh herbs from my front yard to give it an aromatic twist and swapped out regular sugar for the coconut palm variety (low glycemic index but just as delicious).

The pie lasted only a few hours in our house and now, at long last, I'm getting around to posting it.

The strawberry and rhubarb are not in season right now, but that's okay, give it time. After the excitement of holiday season, the chill of winter and the optimism of spring, strawberry season will be upon us once more and you'll have the perfect summer recipe.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie- The Best of Summer on a Fork!

Here's what you'll need for the crust:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons coconut palm sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

1 cup of very cold sliced unsalted butter

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, combine your flour, sugar and salt. Once this mixture is uniform add your fresh rosemary which you can choose to chop or not depending upon your preference.

Add to this mixture your sliced butter and get your hands in there to mix it all together. With your fingertips, knead the butter into the flour mixture.

Form two balls from your dough.

On a flat floured surface, roll your dough with a rolling pin until it's about 1/4 of an inch thick.

Lift carefully and place into a pie tin that has been oiled with butter. Using a fork poke holes in the bottom layer of crust to vent.

Once you add the filling, you'll place the second layer of crust on top for a full covered pie.

This crust is like a rosemary shortbread cookie- it just might make you swoon!

Here's what you'll need for the filling:

1 rhubarb stalk

1 1/4 cup of coconut palm sugar

dash of cinnamon

1 pint of strawberries

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon grated lime zest

1 teaspoon of fresh torn basil

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

Thinly slice your rhubarb stalk. Cut your strawberries in half. Combine the rhubarb and strawberries in a bowl. Add the grated lime zest and your basil. Toss together and set aside.

In a small bowl mix your sugar, cinnamon, sea salt and cornstarch together until uniform. Add this mixture to the strawberries and rhubarb.

Once combined, pour into your pie crust.

Place the top layer of pie crust over the filling.

You can use a fork or a knife (or both) to carve out fancy designs in the top layer of crust to vent.

Use whatever method makes you happy when it comes to the edge of the pie. I like to use my thumb to create a squiggly pattern to seal my pie crust. Many people swear by the old fold over method. Others simply cut and press. Either way will get you there.

It's now oven time!

Set your pie on the middle rack at 375 degrees for about 30-40 minutes until the pie crust turns golden and the aroma is irresistible!