British · Dessert
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
A classic American dessert featuring sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb in a flaky homemade pastry crust with a beautiful lattice top. This spring pie perfectly balances sweet and sour flavors and represents the best of seasonal baking.
The Method
Instructions
Alright, let's start with the pie crust. Grab your food processor and toss in the flour, salt, and sugar. Give it a quick pulse until everything is nicely combined. Now, add the butter , cold and cubed is best , and pulse again until the mixture starts to look like coarse meal. This usually takes about 15 seconds, so keep an eye on it. You want those little pea sized bits of butter to still be there to give you that flaky crust we all love.
Next, pour about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of cold water slowly through the feed tube while the processor is running. Do this in a gentle, steady stream and stop as soon as the dough just holds together when you pinch it between your fingers. If it's still a bit crumbly, add a splash more water, but be careful not to go overboard. Remember, less is more here. Once the dough holds, stop processing , don't let it go more than 30 seconds or it can get tough.
Turn your dough out onto a clean work surface and gently gather it into a ball. Now divide that ball into two equal parts and flatten each into a disk shape. Wrap these disks tightly in plastic wrap. This is where patience pays off , pop them into the fridge and let them chill for about an hour. This resting time chills the butter and lets the gluten relax, which means your crust will be tender and easy to roll out.
After the dough has had its chill time, take one disk out of the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the pastry out into a 12 inch (30 cm) circle. Be sure to keep lifting the dough and turning it a quarter turn every so often as you roll, always rolling from the center out to the edges. This helps keep the dough from sticking and ensures an even thickness all around.
Once rolled, gently fold the dough in half and carefully transfer it to your 9 inch (23 cm) pie pan. Unfold it and press it lightly into the pan. Brush any extra flour off the surface, then trim the dough, leaving about a 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) overhang all around. Pop this crust back into the fridge, covered with plastic wrap, to keep it nice and firm while you make the filling.
Now, take out that second dough disk and roll it into a slightly larger circle, about 13 inches (33 cm). Using a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, slice this dough into strips roughly 3/4 inch (2 cm) wide. Lay these strips out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover with plastic wrap, and chill them in the fridge for about 10 minutes. This extra chill will help the strips hold their shape when we weave the lattice.
Moving on to the filling, toss your chopped strawberries and rhubarb into a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix together the cornstarch, sugar, and cinnamon. The cornstarch is going to help thicken the fruit juices as they cook, and the cinnamon adds that warm, cozy note that pairs so well with fruit pies.
Take your chilled pie crust out of the fridge. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of that sugar mixture evenly over the bottom of the crust , this little layer helps prevent the crust from getting soggy. Now, add the remaining sugar mixture to your strawberries and rhubarb and gently toss everything together until the fruit is well coated.
Pour the fruit mixture carefully into the prepared pie shell, spreading it out evenly. Then, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice over the top , it brightens all those flavors beautifully. Dot the filling with 2 tablespoons of butter in small pieces; this will melt into the fruit and give the pie a lovely richness.
Time to weave our lattice top! Take the chilled pastry strips out of the fridge. Starting in the center, lay down half the strips across the pie, spacing them about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Use the longer strips in the middle and the shorter ones toward the edges , this helps the lattice look nice and neat. Now for the fun part: gently fold back every other strip halfway, then lay a new strip perpendicularly across the center.
Unfold the strips you folded back, then fold back the strips you didn't fold the first time. Lay another strip across, continuing this over and under pattern until your lattice is complete. Trim the edges of the strips, leaving about a 1 inch (2.5 cm) overhang. Fold this overhang under the bottom crust edge and pinch or flute the edges to seal everything together. This not only looks pretty but helps keep the filling inside during baking.
Brush the lattice generously with milk , this helps the crust brown beautifully , and sprinkle with a little sugar for a delicate crunch. Cover the pie loosely with plastic wrap and pop it back in the fridge while you preheat your oven to a toasty 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Make sure your oven rack is positioned in the lower third of the oven, and place a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil on the rack beneath where the pie will bake to catch any drips. Trust me, this saves on cleanup later!
Place the pie carefully on the hot baking sheet and slide it into the oven. Let it bake for about 35 minutes, keeping an eye on those edges. If you notice the crust starting to brown too deeply, cover the edges with a foil ring to protect them. Continue baking for another 10 minutes or so, until the crust is a lovely golden brown and the fruit juices are bubbling up invitingly.
Once baked to perfection, remove the pie from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool for a few hours. The resting time lets the filling set nicely so you get those perfect slices. Serve your strawberry rhubarb pie at room temperature with a big dollop of softly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It's utterly delicious!
If you have any leftovers, store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm slices gently before serving to bring back that fresh baked feeling. And here's a bonus , this pie freezes beautifully, so you can enjoy it later whenever the craving hits.
Next, pour about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of cold water slowly through the feed tube while the processor is running. Do this in a gentle, steady stream and stop as soon as the dough just holds together when you pinch it between your fingers. If it's still a bit crumbly, add a splash more water, but be careful not to go overboard. Remember, less is more here. Once the dough holds, stop processing , don't let it go more than 30 seconds or it can get tough.
Turn your dough out onto a clean work surface and gently gather it into a ball. Now divide that ball into two equal parts and flatten each into a disk shape. Wrap these disks tightly in plastic wrap. This is where patience pays off , pop them into the fridge and let them chill for about an hour. This resting time chills the butter and lets the gluten relax, which means your crust will be tender and easy to roll out.
After the dough has had its chill time, take one disk out of the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the pastry out into a 12 inch (30 cm) circle. Be sure to keep lifting the dough and turning it a quarter turn every so often as you roll, always rolling from the center out to the edges. This helps keep the dough from sticking and ensures an even thickness all around.
Once rolled, gently fold the dough in half and carefully transfer it to your 9 inch (23 cm) pie pan. Unfold it and press it lightly into the pan. Brush any extra flour off the surface, then trim the dough, leaving about a 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) overhang all around. Pop this crust back into the fridge, covered with plastic wrap, to keep it nice and firm while you make the filling.
Now, take out that second dough disk and roll it into a slightly larger circle, about 13 inches (33 cm). Using a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, slice this dough into strips roughly 3/4 inch (2 cm) wide. Lay these strips out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover with plastic wrap, and chill them in the fridge for about 10 minutes. This extra chill will help the strips hold their shape when we weave the lattice.
Moving on to the filling, toss your chopped strawberries and rhubarb into a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix together the cornstarch, sugar, and cinnamon. The cornstarch is going to help thicken the fruit juices as they cook, and the cinnamon adds that warm, cozy note that pairs so well with fruit pies.
Take your chilled pie crust out of the fridge. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of that sugar mixture evenly over the bottom of the crust , this little layer helps prevent the crust from getting soggy. Now, add the remaining sugar mixture to your strawberries and rhubarb and gently toss everything together until the fruit is well coated.
Pour the fruit mixture carefully into the prepared pie shell, spreading it out evenly. Then, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice over the top , it brightens all those flavors beautifully. Dot the filling with 2 tablespoons of butter in small pieces; this will melt into the fruit and give the pie a lovely richness.
Time to weave our lattice top! Take the chilled pastry strips out of the fridge. Starting in the center, lay down half the strips across the pie, spacing them about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Use the longer strips in the middle and the shorter ones toward the edges , this helps the lattice look nice and neat. Now for the fun part: gently fold back every other strip halfway, then lay a new strip perpendicularly across the center.
Unfold the strips you folded back, then fold back the strips you didn't fold the first time. Lay another strip across, continuing this over and under pattern until your lattice is complete. Trim the edges of the strips, leaving about a 1 inch (2.5 cm) overhang. Fold this overhang under the bottom crust edge and pinch or flute the edges to seal everything together. This not only looks pretty but helps keep the filling inside during baking.
Brush the lattice generously with milk , this helps the crust brown beautifully , and sprinkle with a little sugar for a delicate crunch. Cover the pie loosely with plastic wrap and pop it back in the fridge while you preheat your oven to a toasty 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Make sure your oven rack is positioned in the lower third of the oven, and place a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil on the rack beneath where the pie will bake to catch any drips. Trust me, this saves on cleanup later!
Place the pie carefully on the hot baking sheet and slide it into the oven. Let it bake for about 35 minutes, keeping an eye on those edges. If you notice the crust starting to brown too deeply, cover the edges with a foil ring to protect them. Continue baking for another 10 minutes or so, until the crust is a lovely golden brown and the fruit juices are bubbling up invitingly.
Once baked to perfection, remove the pie from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool for a few hours. The resting time lets the filling set nicely so you get those perfect slices. Serve your strawberry rhubarb pie at room temperature with a big dollop of softly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It's utterly delicious!
If you have any leftovers, store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm slices gently before serving to bring back that fresh baked feeling. And here's a bonus , this pie freezes beautifully, so you can enjoy it later whenever the craving hits.
Pairs Well With
