Rhubarb Apple Pie

The first harvest of the year on our farm is always rhubarb.  We think of rhubarb as a fruit but it is actually a vegetable perennial that produces celery like stalks in early spring. As long as I keep pulling rhubarb stalks, the plant keeps producing until late spring.  Whether it is in a pie, or Perishky, Platz or Wareneki, rhubarb is a favourite at our house. 

Rhubarb pairs well with apples and because apples need less sugar,  this rhubarb pie has less sugar than many rhubarb pies.  If you like your pie sweeter, go ahead and add up to another 1/3 cup sugar.

• pastry for one 9-inch pie (recipe below)
• 4 cups diced rhubarb stalks
• 2 apples, diced
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons minute tapioca
• 1/3 cup whipping cream, divided
• sugar for sprinkling on the crust

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Roll out the first piece of pastry and line a 9-inch pie pan.
3. Combine rhubarb, apples, sugar, and tapioca in a large bowl.  Spoon into crust.
4. Roll out another piece of pastry and place on top of prepared filling. Trim excess pastry, and roll under and crimp.  Cut a round circle out of the center of the pie crust and slash the top crust.  
5. Brush the top crust with whipping cream, and sprinkle with sugar. 
6. Pour remaining cream onto the filling through the center round circle.
7. Cover the edges of the pie with strips of foil or use a purchased pie shield as seen in the photo above.   If you have a pie drip catcher, place the pie on that, before baking.  I use one that is easily cleaned in the dishwasher and am happy to avoid spills in the oven. 
8. Bake for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350 F and continue to bake until the center is bubbly, and crust is golden brown, about another 50 minutes.

Pastry 

• 5 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pound lard
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• water

1. Measure the flour, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder into a large bowl.
2. Cut in the lard with a pastry blender until the mixture is like large oatmeal.
3. Put the egg into a 1 cup measuring cup and beat it with a fork to break it up.
4. Add the vinegar to the cup and then fill with water to the 1 cup line.
5. Slowly stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture with a fork until just combined.
6. Turn out onto a floured counter and shape it into a circle.
7. Divide into four pieces, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.  Use two pieces for a 9-inch pie and freeze the remaining pieces for another pie.  

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