Warm your belly with a slice of rhubarb pie
Cold days call for large plates of steaming comfort food – the kind of fodder that warms the belly as well as the heart. Trace the sentimental path back to your childhood by popping a sweet pie in the oven and breathing in those fragrant wafts of buttery pastry and sugary rhubarb. The vibrant rosy hue and tarty flavour of rhubarb makes it the star of any dish, so get in the dessert mood and plate up generous slices of freshly baked rhubarb pie with spoonfuls of warm custard.
INGREDIENTS
Pastry
2 cups plain flour, sifted
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
6 tablespoons cold water
Filling
8 stalks (approximately 4 cups) rhubarb
1 1/3 cups sugar
6 tablespoons plain flour, sifted
a few pinches of cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter, softened
custard or cream, to serve
TO MAKE
Preheat the oven to 190°C.
To make the pastry, combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Add small amounts of the shortening, then gradually add the water. Knead the dough to form a ball, then divide into two portions with one half slightly bigger than the other.
Roll out the larger piece of pastry and use it to line a prepared pie dish. Trim the edges so the pastry reaches just beyond the side of the dish.
Next, prepare the filling. Chop the rhubarb stalks into 1/2-inch pieces. Place the pieces in a bowl and add the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir gently and pour into the pastry shell. Dot the butter on top of the rhubarb mixture.
Roll out the second piece of dough and cut the pastry into strips, then layer onto the pie to create a weave effect. Alternatively, if you’re short on time, simply place the whole piece of pastry over the pie filling. Trim where necessary, then seal and flute the edges. Use a knife to cut a few slits in the top of the pie to allow air to escape.
Place the pie in the oven and bake for 55–60 minutes. When cooked, allow to cool slightly, then sprinkle with sugar and serve with custard or cream.
Image via Squirrels n Sweets.
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