A Taste of Spring ~ Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

My Recipe Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

3 rounded cups rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
3 rounded cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

two pie crusts for 9" pie plate (see recipe below)
1 large egg yolk beaten to blend with 1 teaspoon water (for glaze)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Roll half of pie dough into a 12-inch circle and carefully transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. I like to roll my crust unto lightly floured wide plastic wrap and transfer to the pie plate by carefully turning it over and peeling off the plastic wrap. 

Stir together rhubarb, strawberries, sugars, vanilla and cornstarch in a large bowl.  

Vanilla is my secret ingredient.  It adds a lot of flavor so I can reduce the sugars. My family much prefers it to lemon juice in this pie.

Mound filling inside bottom pie crust and dot with bits of unsalted butter. 

Roll second half of pie crust for top. Transfer it to center over the pie filling. 

Trim top and bottom pie dough so that their overhang beyond the pie plate lip is only 1/2-inch. 

Tuck rim of dough underneath itself and crimp it decoratively.

Transfer pie to a baking sheet and brush egg yolk mixture over dough. This makes the crust shiny and brown.

Bake for 20 minutes then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until the pie is golden and the juices bubble visibly.

Transfer pie to wire rack to cool. When full cool (several hours later) the juices gel.

My Pie Crust Recipe

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 and 1/4 cups shortening

1/2 cup butter

3 tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/4 cup ice water

In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Add stortening and butter and blend
 together with pastry belender or your hands until it forms small even crunbs.

In a snall bowl beat egg and add cold water and mix well.  Add to crumb mixture and blend just until combined.  Do not over handle. Press together and shape into balls.  Wrap in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator until ready to use.  
Bring to room temperature to roll out.   
Makes 4 crusts. 

Enjoy!