Ingredients for the Pie Dough (2 9.5" pies)
- 1# unsalted butter, cut into small, even cubes. COLD
- 4 ½ c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbs. sugar
- ½ c. plus 2 Tbs ice cold water
- 1 tsp. champagne vinegar
Ingredients for the Brown Sugar Crumble with Oats and Almonds
- 1# unsalted butter, cut into small evenly sized cubes. COLD
- 1 ½ c. Whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ c. All Purpose flour
- 1 ¼ c. brown sugar, packed
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ whole nutmeg, grated or ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 c. sliced almonds
- 1 ½ c. Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
Ingredients for Rhubarb Strawberry Pie Filling
- 6 c. Rhubarb, washed and dried, cut in 1”” pieces,
- 2 c. strawberries, cut if necessary
- 1 ½ c. sugar
- 5 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. cornstarch
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ lemon, zested
- Juice of half a lemon
Making the Dough:
1. Blend all dry ingredients
2. Put all cold cubes of butter in the bowl with the dry ingredients
3. Mixer method: Cut the COLD cubes of butter into the flour using the paddle attachment. Mix until all the butter is the size of small peas. While the paddle is moving, pour all the water and vinegar in at once. Keep mixing until the dough is moistened. The dough will be very crumbly, almost dry. Pour it onto a work surface. Continue mixing the dough with your hands, kneading very gently until the dough comes together. Form the dough into 2 round flat discs. Place in the cooler at least 4 hours until firm.
4. Robocoupe method: Follow the same procedure as above, but pulse the butter/flour mixture until the butter is the size of small peas. Pour the cold water/vinegar mixture through the top of the bowl attachment all at once, pulsing continually until the dry mixture starts to climb. The dough will be very crumbly, almost dry. ** This is my preferred method**
Rolling out the shell:
1. After the pie dough is chilled, roll it out to about 3/8”. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin using just enough flour to move the dough into a 15” circle. Trim the circle if necessary. IF the dough is still well chilled, place the dough into the pie pan and flute edges as desired. If it is too warm to work with, place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the dough and chill in the cooler until it’s easy to handle.
2. Place the pie shell back into the cooler. Chill unwrapped overnight.
The Par-Bake:
*375 for approximately 20 minutes or until light golden brown
1. When ready to bake, prick the bottom of the crust with a fork. Place aluminum foil, parchment paper or paper coffee filters over the raw crust. Fill with pie weights ( rice or beans work well too) and bake. Carefully remove the weights and continue to bake for a few minutes more until the crust until light golden brown and not doughy in the center.
2. Turn the oven down to 350 to finish the pie. The pie shell can be baked ahead of time
Directions for Brown Sugar Crumble - *350 F Bake for approximately 8 minutes*
1. Dice butter into small, evenly sized cubes. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
2. Place flours, brown sugar, salt, and spices into a stand mixer fitted with a paddle.
3. Mix until incorporated.
4. Sprinkle cold cubed butter into the dry ingredient.
5. Cut in the butter until the mixture starts to turn crumble.
6. Add oats and almonds. Continue to blend until the mixture looks granola-like.
7. Spread the crumble onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
8. Bake approximately 4 minutes, move the crumble around with a spatula and continue to bake until the crumble is golden brown.
9. Cool and reserve. This can be baked ahead of time.
Directions for Filling
1. Whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt in a bowl
2. Add fruit, lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir until evenly coated
3. Cook fruit mixture over the stove top on low heat to release the juices. Raise the heat to cook the fruit and activate the cornstarch. Stir constantly until the mixture begins to boil. Take off heat and pour directly into the prepared par-baked pie shell.
Directions for Baking the Whole Pie
1. Fill the pie shell with the hot rhubarb-strawberry pie filling.
2. Top with baked crumble.
3. Bake in the 350 degree oven for approximately 25 minutes.
4. Cool the pie completely at room temperature.
5. Enjoy with whipped crème fraiche or ice cream