Wild Blackberry Rhubarb Pie
The chickens got to my rhubarb early this spring. It's been growing like gangbusters due to our unusually mild winter. Rhubarb is supposedly toxic to chickens, so it's not a good idea to let them have access to it. That being said, by the time I noticed what naughtiness they were up to, they had done a number on it and I had to give it a good trim. This left me with quite a bit of usable rhubarb ready before strawberry season has come on here, so I made a pie with frozen wild blackberries from last year's harvest. Will definitely be doing this one again! Although the classic strawberry rhubarb combo is wonderful, and classic for that reason (plus they are both in season together), you know, I think I might actually like this combo better. As a matter of fact, I like it so well I will be doing it later in the season with Marionberries. Let me know what you think! (the chickens are fine BTW)
For the record, this recipe will work for strawberry rhubarb pie also. Just substitute strawberries for the blackberries and decrease the sugar by 1/4 cup.
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For the crust:
2 1/2 cups AP flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup organic shortening
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter; chilled - straight from the refrigerator
1/2 cup ice cold water
Combine flour, salt and sugar well in a medium sized bowl. Cut in shortening and butter until it resembles course corn meal.
Add 1/2 of the water and stir with a fork. Add the remaining water a little at a time, stirring with fork until crust dough just comes together.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces making the bottom piece a little bigger than the top piece (roughly 14 oz for the bottom and 11 oz for the top). Form into disc shapes about 1 inch thick, wrap in plastic and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator; at least and hour, 2 is even better.
For the filling:
3 cups frozen or fresh rhubarb cut into 1/2" pieces
1 pint frozen or fresh blackberries
1 1/4 cup sugar - use more if you like a sweeter pie. We like ours nicely balanced between sweet and tart.
1/4 cup tapioca
Combine the rhubarb, berries and sugar in a medium bowl and allow to macerate together for at least 15 minutes. Add tapioca and combine thoroughly. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.
On a floured surface, roll out the bottom crust (the larger one) to about 14" in diameter. Place in 10" pie pan and return to the refrigerator while you roll out the top crust.
Pour filling mixture into the prepared bottom crust and wet the outside edge where it will meet the top crust with your finger and some water.
Place the top crust over the filled bottom and trim both crusts just beyond the edge of the pan, gently pressing them together as you go. Cut slits in the top to vent. Decorate the edge however you like.
Place pie on a baking sheet and bake on the center rack in preheated oven for 1 hour to 75 minutes, or until it is bubbling in the center and the crust is golden brown.
Remove and allow to cool on a rack for at least 2 hours before cutting.
Serve warm or at room temperature with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
*Note: keep in mind that part of the secret to a nice flaky crust is not allowing the shortening or butter to get warm while it is being mixed, rolled or filled. Keep it as chilled as possible. The second thing to keep in mind is that you don't want to over-mix it, which can develop gluten in the wheat which is great for bread, but bad for pie dough - we want it tender.
For the record, this recipe will work for strawberry rhubarb pie also. Just substitute strawberries for the blackberries and decrease the sugar by 1/4 cup.
For the crust:
2 1/2 cups AP flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup organic shortening
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter; chilled - straight from the refrigerator
1/2 cup ice cold water
Combine flour, salt and sugar well in a medium sized bowl. Cut in shortening and butter until it resembles course corn meal.
Add 1/2 of the water and stir with a fork. Add the remaining water a little at a time, stirring with fork until crust dough just comes together.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces making the bottom piece a little bigger than the top piece (roughly 14 oz for the bottom and 11 oz for the top). Form into disc shapes about 1 inch thick, wrap in plastic and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator; at least and hour, 2 is even better.
For the filling:
3 cups frozen or fresh rhubarb cut into 1/2" pieces
1 pint frozen or fresh blackberries
1 1/4 cup sugar - use more if you like a sweeter pie. We like ours nicely balanced between sweet and tart.
1/4 cup tapioca
Combine the rhubarb, berries and sugar in a medium bowl and allow to macerate together for at least 15 minutes. Add tapioca and combine thoroughly. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.
On a floured surface, roll out the bottom crust (the larger one) to about 14" in diameter. Place in 10" pie pan and return to the refrigerator while you roll out the top crust.
Pour filling mixture into the prepared bottom crust and wet the outside edge where it will meet the top crust with your finger and some water.
Place the top crust over the filled bottom and trim both crusts just beyond the edge of the pan, gently pressing them together as you go. Cut slits in the top to vent. Decorate the edge however you like.
Place pie on a baking sheet and bake on the center rack in preheated oven for 1 hour to 75 minutes, or until it is bubbling in the center and the crust is golden brown.
Remove and allow to cool on a rack for at least 2 hours before cutting.
Serve warm or at room temperature with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
*Note: keep in mind that part of the secret to a nice flaky crust is not allowing the shortening or butter to get warm while it is being mixed, rolled or filled. Keep it as chilled as possible. The second thing to keep in mind is that you don't want to over-mix it, which can develop gluten in the wheat which is great for bread, but bad for pie dough - we want it tender.
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