Homegrown Rhubarb Pie

My friend Erica has an absolutely amazing garden filled with every kind of vegetable, herb and fruit imaginable! I aspire to be like her some day. When we spent time with her and her husband last week, she sent me home with a bag full of rhubarb, and today I finally had the time to bake a pie!

Pies haven't always been my strong-suit, but this one turned out to be delicious. The crust was especially yummy! I used a recipe for Butter Pie Crust and Fresh Rhubarb Pie to create my pie. Here's how you can make your own!

Homemade Pie Crust

I googled a lot of different pie crust recipes and chose this one because it doesn't have any shortening in it. It makes enough for one top and bottom crust, or two bottom crusts. I also found that using my KitchenAid Stand Mixer was way easier than mixing it by hand.

1 cup cold unsalted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup cold water

Cut the butter into small cubes. Put flour, sugar and salt into mixer and mix briefly (use the paddle attachment) to combine. Add butter, and then run the mixer on low for several minutes until it's crumbly and the butter is pea-size or smaller. Add cold water and mix until it turns into a dough. Be sure not to over-mix!

Turn dough out onto counter or cutting board. Separate into two balls and roll each to 1/8 inch thick circles. Use one circle for the crust and the other to cover the filling. I found that if I turned my cutting board upside down over my pie plate, I could gently lower the dough into the pan without making a giant mess of things.

Once you have your bottom crust in the pie pan, you're ready to add your filling!

Homegrown Rhubarb Pie

4 cups chopped rhubarb

1 1/3 cups white sugar

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon butter

That delicious pie crust you just made!

Begin by slicing up your rhubarb. I found it was easiest to make 1/2 inch chunks by cutting down the stalks two at a time. Once you've got that completed, mix together your flour and sugar. Dump about 1/3 cup of the sugar mixture into the bottom of the pie pan.

Then add your rhubarb.

Cover the rhubarb with the remaining sugar mixture and dot with the butter.

Now just add your top crust! I find it helpful to press a fork around the edges to help seal in the juices of the pie.

And so you're ready to bake! Bake the pie for 15 minutes at 450 degrees, then another 40 minutes at 350 degrees. I also covered the edges of my pie with foil to keep from burning it.

I had a little dough and rhubarb left over, so I made a couple mini-pies as well. For those, I rolled out dough and lined a ramekin with it, dumped in about a teaspoon of sugar. I then added the rhubarb and followed with a couple tablespoons sugar and a top crust.

I baked the mini pies for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees. As a final note, be sure you bake your pie on a cookie sheet or foil! I used foil, but apparently not enough as I started a small oven fire. I know, I'm just that awesome. Thankfully my pies turned out fine, but be safe!

Enjoy your pie tonight warm with vanilla ice cream, or cold tomorrow with lunch. (Or maybe breakfast if you live at our house!) As you can see from the picture above, I'd already started eating one of the mini pies. They are delicious!