This Old Fashioned Strawberry Rhubarb Pie is a winning combination of sweet strawberries, tart rhubarb and just enough sugar. The addition of the crumbly almond crust is perfection!
Make sure all ingredients are either frozen or very, very cold. Mix dry ingredients and cut in shortening with a pastry blender until they are worked into the dry ingredients completely.
Add beaten eggs with a fork just until incorporated. Add just enough water to hold dough together. I used 4 tablespoons but this will vary. You want the dough to stay in a ball, so if chunks are falling out, then add some more water. It doesn’t take as much as you think! Divide into two.
Roll each half into a ball, place on plastic wrap, and flatten into a disk. Refrigerator for several hours or over night.
Roll both disks out to ¼ inch thick. This dough is more fragile than my other go-to crust, so I use the rolling pin method for transferring the dough to a pan. Gently roll the dough onto the pin and unroll it over your pie dish.
Decoratively crimp the edges, place in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
To prepare the pie:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line pie plate with pastry and place on a cookie sheet in the refrigerator.
If rhubarb is still green, peel with a vegetable peeler. This is unnecessary if it is ripe and pink!
Slice both rhubarb and strawberries into ¼ inch pieces.
Place into a bowl and sprinkle mixture with cornstarch. Toss to coat.
Whisk together egg and sugar vigorously until light and fluffy.
Pour strawberry rhubarb mixture into the prepare pie crust. Do not mound up the filling like one does with apple pies. Pour egg mixture over the top.
Cover with top pastry or with a lattice top, if desired. Trim off excess overhang (anything more than ½ inch over the edge) with kitchen scissors. Pinch top and bottom crust together and roll under. Crimp decoratively.
Brush the top crust with heavy cream and generously sprinkle with turbinado sugar. This is optional but divine, so I wouldn't skip it! Chill 30 minutes.
Bake in pre-heated oven for 30 minutes and then reduce to 325°F until the filling is bubbly. Cover the edges of the crust after 20 minutes with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. (It will depend on your oven but about 30-45 minutes of total cook time should be enough!)
Notes
Yield: 1, 9 inch pie. Technique – Be sure to allow the filling to boil in the center. This will ensure the cornstarch has been activated and the filling will be thick and not taste starchy.Variations – Use different fruits or your favorite pie crust.Storage – Store covered at room temperature for 4 days, refrigerated for a week or frozen for up to 2 months.Pie Filling adapted for modern day use from The Settlement Cookbook 1941 Edition.