Old Fashion Rhubarb Pie

Serves 6

350g plain flour plus
3 tbsp extra
small pinch salt
130g butter plus
2 small knobs

120g lard (see Tips)
600g young pink rhubarb
200g caster sugar
milk for brushing

 

TO SERVE

• cream, crème fraîche or custard

 

• Have ready an oval pie dish or tin, 900ml-1 litre capacity, about 24cm long or similar. 
• Sieve the 350g flour with the salt into a bowl. Rub in the 130g butter and the lard until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then mix in about 4 tbsp cold water, and work to a smooth dough – adding a drop more water if it needs it. Divide into two balls, one slightly larger than the other, cover and chill for 30 minutes. 
• Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/gas 6. Lightly grease the pie dish using a knob of butter. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball of pastry to 5mm thick. Line the pie dish with the larger sheet, roughly trimming the edges (you will neaten these later).  
• Trim the rhubarb and cut into short lengths. Combine the sugar with the reserved 3 tbsp flour. Pile the rhubarb in the pastry case, sprinkling over
• the sugar mixture evenly and dotting with the remaining knob of butter as you go.  
• Brush the pastry rim with milk, cover with the remaining sheet of pastry, and press down lightly around the edge to seal. Using a small knife, neatly trim off the pastry, letting the blade follow the outside rim of the dish. Brush the pie with milk and sprinkle with a little sugar. Make three diagonal slashes across the top of the pie. Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden (if the top browns too fast, move to the bottom shelf). Eat with cream, crème fraîche or custard.

TIPS If you don’t wish to use lard, use all butter in the pastry. If making the pie later in the year with more astringent summer rhubarb, add a little extra sugar.

VARIATION Add grated orange zest or a sprinkling of ground ginger to the filling.

CHEAT Use bought shortcrust pastry. And, rather than lining the bottom of the dish, make a pastry lid only.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-1262084/Recipe-Old-fashioned-rhubarb-pie.html#ixzz2zmekRlEj
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Blueberry Pie

Blueberry Pie Ingredients :
Crust:
* One double recipe for all butter pie crust dough

Filling ingredients:
* 6 cups of fresh (or frozen) blueberries, rinsed and stems removed (if using frozen, defrost and drain first)
* 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
* 1 Tbsp lemon juice
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (for thickening)
* 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 2 Tbsp butter (unsalted), cut into small pieces

Egg wash ingredients:

* 1 egg
* 1 tablespoon milk
Blueberry Pie Recipe INSTRUCTIONS

1 Prepare the crust. Roll out half of the dough to 1/8-inch-thick circle on a lightly floured work surface, about 13 inches in diameter. Fit the dough over a 9-inch pie pan, and trim the edges to a 1/2 inch over the edge all around the pan. Put into the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes.

2 Gently mix the blueberries, sugar, flour, cinnamon, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Transfer them to the chilled bottom crust of the pie pan. Dot with butter pieces. Roll out remaining dough to the same size and thickness as the first. Place on top of the berry filling. Tuck the top dough over and under the edge of the bottom dough, and crimp the edges with your fingers. Transfer the pie to the refrigerator to chill until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes. Heat oven to 425°F.

3 Whisk egg and milk together to make an egg wash.

4 Remove the unbaked pie from refrigerator. Brush the top with egg wash. Score the pie on the top with 4 cuts (so steam can escape while cooking). Place the pie on the middle rack of the oven with a parchment paper or Silpat lined baking pan positioned on the lower rack to catch any filling that may bubble over. Bake for 20 minutes at 425°. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake for 30 to 40 minutes more or until juices are bubbling and have thickened. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Let cool completely before serving...and the blueberry pie recipe is ready ! Enjoy it !

Fresh Glazed Strawberry Pie

As mentioned in the previous post, we made strawberry pie for Canada Day. Here is the recipe:

1 baked pastry shell
1 quart (or more) fresh strawberries (4-8oz cups)
3 T(ablespoons) cornstarch (cornflour in UK)
1 c(up) sugar (white)
1 T butter
1/2 c water
1 T lemon juice
whipped cream

1. Arrange the best looking berries in the cooked pie shell.

2. Crush the remaining berries.

3. Combine the cornstarch (cornflour) and sugar. Stir in crushed berries and water.

4. Cook gently till thick and clear.

5. Remove from heat, add butter and lemon juice. Cool.

6. Pour onto pie. Top with whipped cream.