Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

This recipe is from Moogie. This pie is such a favorite of Jason’s, it is his “birthday cake” of choice*.

Make a double recipe of Pie Crust

Combine:

1 ¼ sugar [I use less sugar - about ¼ c sugar for each cup of rhubarb]
5 T flour
½ to 1 t cinnamon
1/8 t salt [I omit]

Spread half (or a bit less) of this mixture over a pastry-lined 9 " pie plate.

On top of this mixture add

4 cups or more sliced rhubarb and strawberries [I use ratio of 3:1 rhubarb to strawberries; 14-16 oz rhubarb = 3 c]

And sprinkle the rest of sugar mixture over top. Sprinkle with:

1 T lemon juice

Roll, fit and be sure to seal upper crust. Dot with 2 T butter (optional) [Mom and I omit butter. Cut pattern in top of crust from which steam can escape.] Bake on lower shelf in hot oven, 425 degrees F, 30 [35] – 40 minutes.

Instead of making a full top crust, Mom usually makes a lattice crust, cutting strips of crust and putting them across the top in a criss-cross latttice pattern. I think is my top crust choice.

June 2013: CORNSTARCH?  Following up on a suggestion a professional cook recently made to my brother after observing one of his Strawberry Rhubarb Pies (also made with Moogie's recipe), I tried making a Strawberry Rhubarb (Ginger) Crisp reducing the flour to 2T and adding 2T cornstarch.
Verdict?  The liquid was certainly thicker, almost gelatinous, but I found the crisp too heavy for my taste.  My preference is for the more delicate original recipe, and think this will be true for the pie too. Maybe just attributable  to familiar comfort food.

* 2016 Update: See also and Best Ever Strawberry Rhubarb Pie/Strawberry Rhubaarb (Ginger) Crisp and  Make Strawberry Stains Vanish

Reviewed 6/17//2017