Nothing says summer is almost here better than the appearance of local strawberries and rhubarb on the green-grocer’s shelves. My husband’s favourite combo is strawberries and rhubarb so I made him this treat. It’s on the tart side, so if you prefer sweeter, use 1 1/3 cups sugar.
Crust:
Combine 2 cups flour with 1/4 teaspoon salt, then cut in 2/3 cups shortening until the mixture resembles small peas. Add 6-7 Tablespoons of ice water, one at a time, tossing with a fork until crust is slightly moist. Don’t knead too much but press dough into a lump and cut into two pieces, one larger than the other. (The larger piece will be the bottom crust.) Roll out the larger lump of dough, and line your pie dish with it. Roll out the other and score in half-inch strips. Set aside.
Filling:
- 4 cups diced rhubarb (about 1/2 inch dice)
- 2 cups strawberries, halved
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon orange zest
Combine these ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Pour mixture into your lined pie dish. Top with strips of dough, alternating to create a lattice weave (I watched a YouTube video to learn how–super easy). Protect edges of the crust with foil, and bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Then, lower oven to 375 degrees, and bake for one hour, removing the foil after 30 minutes. (TIP: Make sure you put a large piece of foil or a baking sheet under the rack the pie is sitting on, to catch sugary drips.) Let pie cool on a cooling rack almost an hour, and enjoy while it’s still warm.