Apple Rhubarb Pie

This Thanksgiving I noticed something new in the market’s produce section. Fresh rhubarb stalks seem to be available, just about everywhere.  I am a very compulsive shopper and have a hard time passing up fresh rhubarb so I bought 5 stalks not knowing for sure what I would do with it.

Did you ever make apple pie and have the filling not sufficiently gel up, coagulate, congeal, set or thicken? I found the Thesaurus button on my new lap top computer. Well it’s embarrassing when that happens even though the pie tastes great.  Rhubarb is a super source of pectin that causes the juices to congeal.  I thought the flavors would be complementary so I decided to make apple rhubarb pie.

1 recipe pie dough from my blog

3 cups unbleached flour

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup shortening, such as Crisco

1 egg

1 tablespoon white vinegar

6-7 tablespoons ice water

Filling

8 Pink Lady Apples

2 cups chopped rhubarb, about 4 stalks

1 cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 tablespoons corn starch

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl.  Cut the shortening into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse peas in size.  Whisk the liquid ingredients together and then add them to the dry ingredients.  Gently combine by pressing together until you can form a ball. Form two discs with the pie dough, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

Place the chopped rhubarb with ½ cup sugar in a sauté pan. Add about ½ tablespoon of the lemon juice.  Heat the rhubarb until the sugar dissolves, and cook until the rhubarb is translucent and pink.  Let it cool.

Peel the apples, core them and then slice into thin slices.  Pour the remaining 1 and ½ tablespoon of lemon juice over the apple slices to keep them from turning brown.  Place the apples in a sauté pan with the remaining ½ cup of white sugar.  Sauté the apples until tender, but not mushy.

Add the rhubarb, sautéed apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and corn starch to a large bowl.  Mix all together.

To roll out the first pie dough disc, flour the work surface and begin to roll the dough out. Turn the dough between rolls to keep it from sticking to the surface. Add a little sprinkling of flour as necessary. When the dough is about 1/8 inch thick, place it in a deep dish pie plate.  There is plenty of dough overhang since this is a very generous recipe.   Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pie dish.  Add the filling.  Roll out the second crust and place it gently on top of the filling.

With a small knife trim the excess overhang of pie dough.  You can reserve these pieces to cut leaves and other decorations out of. Press the two layers of dough together and turn them under rolling the edge to create a nice ridge.  Using thumb and forefinger twist the edge to create a pretty pattern.

Bake the pie in a preheated 400° for about 1 hour.  Cover the top crust with foil if it begins to get too dark before the bottom is done.  I prefer a deep dish glass pie plate and I place it on an aluminum baking sheet to catch any drippings.

Serve the pie warm and fresh with whipped topping or ice cream.