The Absolute BEST Homemade Rhubarb-Strawberry Pie - And it is easy!

The Absolute BEST Homemade Rhubarb-Strawberry Pie - And it is easy!

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Want to make the best rhubarb-strawberry pie you've ever had, and don't want to spend all day in the kitchen studying overly-complicated recipes? This rhubarb-strawberry pie is easy and tastes amazing. If you've never had a rhubarb strawberry pie, you really have no idea what you are missing! And it doesn't matter if you're not a chef or have never made a pie before! Following these illustrated directions ANYONE can cook a perfect rhubarb-strawberry pie for any occasion! This recipe has been improved for 2016, so it's even better!

Ingredients and Equipment
(per 9 inch deep dish pie)

Pie filling

• 8 rounded Tablespoons of corn starch (in England it's called "corn flour") (arrowroot starch or mini-ball tapioca can be used in stead of the corn starch, in the same quantity)
• 3 cups diced rhubarb (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces) (that's about 1/2 cm to 1 cm)
• 3 cups prepared strawberries - remove the hulls and slice in half or if large, in thirds. (a 1 lb container of fresh strawberries is about 2 cups after removing hulls) Note you can easily do 4 cups of rhubarb and 2 cups of strawberries or vice versa, but I like it 50-50.

• 1 and 1/2 cups (1.5 cups) granulated sugar (ordinary table, organic, raw or even the same amount of honey) OR
  • for those on sugar-restricted diets:
  3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup Stevia (in a prepared form like Truvia, it measures same as sugar; if you use another form, you will need do your own conversion) - or Splenda, if you prefer, works in pie recipes, but not by itself. The pie turns out GREAT with a 50-50 split of sugar and sweetener - we could not tell any difference!
• No sugar pie: Using no sugar, just stevia or Splenda, the pie turns out heavy and with much less flavor; you can do it, if you must, but the results aren't as good ).

1/2 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated orange zest (fresh or dried) Just rub an orange against a fine cheese grater, to remove the thin outer layer of the peel. Or just buy the dried grate orange peel at the grocery store. This ingredient is optional, not critical.

Pie crust options

BEST: Fast and easy Graham Cracker / Nilla Crust - crackers just set in place

• Shown at right, below. his has the flavor of the Graham Crackers with the lightness of the Nilla's (Vanilla crackers). AND it is super fast and easy, plus it las less fat and calories, because there is no added butter or sugar.  deep pie pan

Graham Cracker / Nilla Crust blended crumbs

• This has the flavor of the Graham Crackers with the lightness of the Nilla's (Vanilla crackers). It's a 50-50 blend of the two crackers, crushed. Add 1/4 cup melted butter (just enough to make the crumbs barely stick together) and press them with a large spoon into a greased 9"  large, deep pie pan Directions:  lower-fat, lower sugar version of a graham cracker crust - it tastes the same with fewer calories

Graham Cracker Pie crust

• 9 inch pie graham cracker crust (grocery stores sell both disposable pie pans and glass pans. Get the deep dish type! If you'd rather make your own (they are MUCH better home made) then see this page about how to make a graham cracker pie crust) . !

Oat / Oatmeal pie crust

• Much as I love a Graham cracker pie crust, they are high in sugar and fat. So, a healthier option is Oats. It can be made sugar-free, gluten-free and even fat-free.
  See this page for how to make the Oat pie crust .

Crumb topping:(Optional the top photo is with the crumb topping, the bottom is without)

Option 1

Most people seem to prefer with the crumb topping. It gives it a nice crunch on top which balances the soft, sweet filling.

• 1/4 cup sugar (OR 1/8 cup sugar and 1/8 cup Stevia (in a prepared form like Truvia, it measures same as sugar; if you use another form, you will need do your own conversion) - or Splenda, if you prefer, )
  1/4 cup flour
  1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
  1/4 cup cold butter or margarine. Do not melt the butter, just dice it into the sugar and flour as you mix them together.

Option 2

• Simply sprinkle the pie with rolled oats

Step 1- Wash the rhubarb and strawberries

Just wash them in cold water, no soap. .

This is a good time to get the oven preheating to 425 F

Step 2 - Cut up the rhubarb and remove the strawberry hulls

The strawberries only need to have the hulls removed and if they are very large, cut them in half.

Rhubarb varieties differ - if the type you have has a tough outer skin, peel it off. You can tell if it is tough if it peels off easily as a thin skin. You will then need to remove the ends of the rhubarb - the tough part that connects to the plant (as show at left) and then dice the stalks into 1/2 inch pieces. 

Step 3 - Mix the dry ingredients

Combine the sugar, corn starch, vanilla extract and grated orange zest / peel in a bowl.

• 8 full, rounded Tablespoons corn starch (in England it's called "corn flour")
• 1 and 1/2 cups (1.5 cups) granulated (ordinary table) Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest(optional, don't worry if you don't have it)

And mix them well!

Step 4 - Add the rhubarb and strawberries and mix

Add the rhubarb and strawberries to the dry mix and mix them up well.

Step 5 - Make the pie crust

Never made a graham cracker pie crust either? Fear not, they are really simple. Click here for instructions about making a graham cracker pie crust . It will open in a new window, so just close the new window to return here. .

Step 6 - Pour the pie filling into the crust

That's it: take the mixture of rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, corn starch, etc from step 4 and just pour it into the pie.

Side this aside while you make the crumb topping and get the oven heating up. .

Step 7 - Make the crumb topping

- 1/4 cup sugar (OR 1/8 cup sugar and 1/8 cup Stevia (in a prepared form like Truvia, it measures same as sugar; if you use another form, you will need do your own conversion) - or Splenda, if you prefer, )

- 1/2 cup flour

- 1/4 cup cold butter or margarine.

Do not melt the butter, just dice it into the sugar and flour as you mix them together. in a small bowl and sprinkle it over the pie. The dough dicer/blender, shown above in the box, is ideal for making a perfect crumb topping. A fork or potato masher is your next best bet.

Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the top of the pie.

Step 8 - Put the pie in the oven!

Bake the pie at 425 F for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down and bake at 375 F for another 35 minutes. Let it cool to room temp then refrigerate to allow it to firm up! Or eat it warm with vanilla ice cream!

Costs

• Rhubarb can be expensive, but it is EASY to grow, except in hot climates like the Deep South, where it can only be grown as an annual from seed.
• Strawberries are best if you pick them yourself, but store-bought at Costco or Sam's Club can be ok and about $6 for a large amount, enough for 2 pies.
• Graham Crackers ands Nillas are relatively inexpensive, as is the small amount of sugar needed.