Fresh Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

My variation on the recipe on the box of Kraft Minute Tapioca. I learned the tapioca thickener trick from my mother.

2-crust pie dough for 10″ pie (I use Ina Garten‘s “Perfect Pie Crust” recipe)
2-1/2 cups sliced fresh rhubarb (approx. 6-8 stalks)
2-1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries (approx. 16 oz.)
1/4 cup instant, quick-cooking tapioca (the dry granules from a box, not the pre-made pudding)
1-1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon and/or orange zest, fresh or rehydrated dry (I keep jars of Penzey’s brand orange and lemon peel in my fridge for emergencies)
1 Tbls butter
milk wash or egg wash for top of crust
extra sprinkling of sugar

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Mix together the rhubarb, strawberries, tapioca, zest or peel, and sugar. Stir thoroughly and let sit for at least 15 minutes.

Divide dough in halves, roll out bottom crust, and place gently in pie plate. Do not stretch dough when fitting into pan.

Dump all the rhubarb/berry mixture into the crust. Distribute evenly.

Dot with butter cut into small pieces.

Roll out top crust and gently set over the pie. Fold edges together, seal, and crimp.

Make a few slashes in top crust to allow steam to escape. Decorate with extra dough pieces if desired. Brush on milk or egg wash and sprinkle lightly with sugar.

Place on round pizza pan lined with enough tin foil to fold up over the crust edge if it starts to get too brown. (I use a square of the large size heavy duty foil. The foil will also catch any drips! No messy oven to clean up.)

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until slow bubbles of the filling are visible through the slits.

Allow to cool completely on a rack (approx. 2 hours) before cutting.

Copyright © 2008, Lucinda DeWitt

Photos added May 2009 Copyright © 2009 Lucinda DeWitt