Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

Many consider fresh rhubarb a spring ingredient, a colorful harbinger of the changing seasons. But those in the know wait a few weeks to pull out their best strawberry-rhubarb pie recipe, saving it for summer (ideally June or July), when both vibrantly hued rhubarb stalks and fresh strawberries are at their peak. Sweet strawberries balance the lemony tart rhubarb: the two work in tandem, with a little help from sugar and spice, to create a tangy-sweet pie filling that rivals any classic pie.

The pie dough for this recipe makes two buttery, flaky crusts, so you could opt to make a double-crust or lattice-top pie if you’d like. But we’re partial to the crumb topping with cinnamon and brown sugar. (Stash whatever dough you don’t use in the freezer for up to 3 months.) If the top of the pie turns dark before the juices have started bubbling around the edges, loosely drape a piece of aluminum foil over the pie dish to shield the crumb from burning. And about that bubbling: Don’t even think about pulling the pie out of the oven until you see it happening. Your thickeners (the cornstarch and tapioca) need that benchmark to reach their full setting potential. Similarly, this is a pie that benefits from some time outside the oven. To cut a neat slice, wait until the pie cools completely. Serve with vanilla ice cream or a big dollop of whipped cream.

This recipe has been adapted slightly from ‘Perfect Pies’ by Michele Stuart. Buy the full book on Amazon.