Raspberry Rhubarb Pie

As any avid gardener can attest to, the passing of each season is measured less by specific days on the calendar, and more by the fluid schedule of when certain plants bloom or have edibles ready to harvest. This week, just as the last strawberries were picked, the first of our raspberries were perfectly ripe on the canes. The first batch picked were quickly made into jars of sweet jam, a preserving of sunshine to enjoy in the colder months. Since we also had some lovely rhubarb from our side yard ready to use, it seemed the appropriate time to make another summer pie. Not that there is ever really a bad time for a seasonal fruit pie.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

½ cup ice water

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes

For the filling:

1 cup sugar

⅓ cup light brown sugar

¼ cup quick-cooking tapioca

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

3 cups chopped fresh rhubarb, 1-inch pieces

1 cup fresh raspberries

2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

For assembly:

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons coarse (demerara) sugar

Directions:

First prepare the double crust. Whisk together the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add butter and cut into the flour using a pastry cutter, or your fingertips, until incorporated into a course texture like gravel, leaving large irregular pieces of butter. Working quickly, mix in three-quarters of the ice water with a fork until clumps of dough begin to form. Add more water as needed. Combine until dough just begins to form. Do not overwork. Divide into two clumps and gently press into a ball. Wrap each in plastic and gently compress into a smooth disk. Place dough disks in the refrigerator and let rest for at least one hour.

In a large bowl, whisk the sugars, tapioca, salt, and spices together. Add the rhubarb and raspberries, tossing gently with a spatula to evenly mix. Set aside and let the filling rest for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Roll out one disk of dough on a lightly floured surface, and line a 9-inch pie pan. The edge should extend out beyond the rim of pie dish by at least ½ inch. Fill crust with fruit filling and dot the top with small pieces of butter. Working quickly, roll out the second dough disk to the same size as the bottom crust. Use a knife or pastry wheel to cut the dough into even strips, about ½-inch to ¾-inch wide. Lay 4 to 7 parallel strips over the filling, leaving about ½-inch space between strips. Starting at the center, fold back every other strip and lay 1 perpendicular strip over the top. Next, weave the lattice top one strip at a time, working out to the first edge. Then repeat the process to the other side and crimp the edges. Make an egg wash by thoroughly whisking the egg with 1 tablespoon water, until smooth. Brush the top of crust with a thin layer of egg wash and sprinkle the top with the demerara sugar.

Cover the whole pie with foil and place on a lined baking sheet. Set it in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until crust is golden, and filling is bubbling, about another 15 minutes. If you still need more time to get filling bubbling at center, cover the edges of the crust with foil to prevent over browning, and continue to bake another 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least one hour, or better yet, several hours, to allow the filling to fully set.

Notes:

To highlight the sweetness of summer's bounty, this pie is best when using fresh in-season raspberries. However, if using frozen berries or rhubarb, measure the fruit while they are still frozen and then defrost before making the filling. If your store-bought berries are not particularly flavorful, you could add a tablespoon of orange zest to the filling.

When making the lattice top, work quickly to make sure the dough is kept very cold. If needed, place rolled out dough in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes before cutting and weaving the lattice. Place the filling in the bottom crust just before you cover with top crust.

Serve at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream. Enjoy!