The Red Celery

Spring is here! My husband's favorite time of year because he gets to eat rhubarb. Or as my brother would say, "the red celery" (which he dislikes both). This crimson red veggie has a tart-sweet flavor. It's just delicious in sauces, jams, crumble, cobblers, and pie. Pie...oh, yummy pie.

Pie Crust

Yields: two 9 -inch pie crust

2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 cups (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 tablespoon Sugar
1/4 - 1/2 cup Ice Water

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter and process until the mixer resembles corn meal, about 8 - 10 seconds.

With the machine running, add the ice water in a slow, steady stream through the feed tube. Pulse until the dough holds together without being too wet. You might not have to use all of the ice water. To test, squeeze a small amount together. It should hold kind of like clay or putty, it should not feel sticky or crumbly.

Divide the dough into two equal parts. Flatten each into a disc and wrap in plastic. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Roll the dough into 1/8 -inch thick. Line the pie plate with pastry. Allow the pie shell sit in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

Yields: one 9 -inch pie

4 cups Fresh Rhubarb, washed and sliced into 1/2 -inch thick
2 cups Fresh Strawberries, trimmed and quartered
3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
4 teaspoons Cornstarch
1 tablespoon Milk
1 - 2 teaspoons Sugar in the Raw

Heat oven to 400F.

In a large bowl, toss the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, and cornstarch. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into crust-lined pie. Make sure to level the filling slightly.

Roll out the second pie disc to 1/8 -inch thick. Using a knife or pizza cutter (I used a pastry wheel), cut the dough into 1 -inch strips. Interweave into a lattice pattern. Crimp the strips and edges of the pie to seal.

Bake at 400F for 45 minutes, covering the edge of pie with foil if browning too quickly. Pull the pie out of the over and brush the crust with milk, then sprinkle with sugar in the raw. Return to the oven and bake for another 2 - 5 minutes, until desired color and sugar glazing.

Allow to cool completely. You can serve this pie the same day. I usually make this pie the day before and refrigerate overnight. I think the flavors come together nicely if it sits overnight, but thanks to my husband; it rarely happens. Oh, did I mention that he "loves" rhubarb.