Rhubarb Custard Pie

.
I love this pie. It always makes me happy to eat it. I'm not exactly precise about how much rhubarb goes into the pie because when you are at the store buying rhubarb you don't know exactly how much to buy and I'm not about to throw away any rhubarb.

2 discs of pie dough

approximately 4 cups of cut-up rhubarb

3 eggs
3 tablespoons milk or cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons flour
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoons butter for dotting over the filling.
I tend to forget this from time to time.

Preheat the over to 375 degrees.
Get the rhubarb cut up and in a bowl.
In a smaller bowl combing the eggs, milk, sugar, flour, and nutmeg.
Pour the egg mixture over the rhubarb and gently stir to coat the rhubarb.
Roll out the first pie dough disc and place into a 9 inch pie plate.
Pour in the rhubarb mixture.
Dot with the butter if desired.
Roll out the second pie dough disc into more of a square than a circle and cut into strips about 1/2 inch wide.
Layer the strips over the pie in a woven fashion. I always start at the middle and work in alternate directions to the edge.
Bake until nicely browned and definitely rather bubbly. If it isn't bubbling it isn't done. This will be around 50-60 minutes. It takes just a little longer to cook than you might think.

Variation: Strawberry Rhubarb Custard Pie

Use equal parts of rhubarb and strawberries, and follow the recipe as above, but maybe using a little less sugar, as the strawberries are not sour.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

.

This is a classic, and my son-in-law Zac is very fond of it.  My daughters would rather have the rhubarb custard pie, but that is not a dis on this one.  

2 7-9 ounce discs of pastry (I like my crusts to be minimal, and so does my family)

10 ounces of strawberries, washed, hulled, and quartered (halved if they're small)

10 ounces of prepped rhubarb, cut into smallish pieces

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

butter, for dotting the pie

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Get the first pastry disc rolled out and into a 9 inch pie plate.

Gently turn the excess pastry under, into the plate, leaving a reasonably tall edge.

Combine the sugar and flour, then gently stir in the rhubarb and strawberries.

Pour the fruit into the prepared pie shell and dot with butter.

Roll out the second pastry disc in a fairly rectangular fashion.

Cut the pastry into 10 or 12 strips, and lay on the pie in a lattice.

Make sure that you have something under the pie plate to catch the drips. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes, then turn the temperature down to about 360 degrees and bake for another 15 to 25 minutes. The filling takes longer to cook than you think.  Place on a cooling rack, and serve at room temperature. 

Rhubarb Apple Crisp

.

3 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
16 ounces rhubarb, diced

1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbl flour
2 Tbls cream
grating of nutmeg

topping:
1 cup flour, about 5 ounces
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter, diced up
pinch of salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

350 for 1 hour

Put the apples in to a large quiche dish.
Put the rhubarb on top.
Combine the next five ingredients, and spread over the fruit.

In the food processor, combine the topping ingredients.
Mix until like cornmeal, then spread over the fruit.
Bake until a bit bubbly.

Serve warm, with ice cream if desired.

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

.

1 pound rhubarb, trimmed weight, in small pieces
1/4 cup water
1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup sugar

Put the rhubarb and the water in a nice big pot.
Simmer for a bit to get the rhubarb cooking.
Add the strawberries, lemon juice and sugar.
Cook on low until you like the consistency.
Be careful to not over cook!!!
Add more sugar is desired.