Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

You will also need:

1. A food processor fitted with the rotary blade attachment.
2. A large bowl.
3. A medium-size bowl.
4. A pie pan with a 9-inch base, 2-inches deep.
5. A pastry board and rolling pin.
6. A pastry wheel or knife.

Ingredient note: The amount of water may vary, since not all flours are the same and altitude and humidity may also affect the amount of liquid required. Add a little more or less to make a dough that is soft and very pliable but not crumbly.

Timing note: The pie is best if made a day in advance and allowed to cool at room temperature overnight. A pie of this kind, straight from the oven, is very tasty, but can’t be successfully cut into slices.

For the pie crust dough:

1. Pour the flour, salt and baking powder into the bowl of the food processor. Pulse to mix them.
2. Add the butter and the shortening. Cut them into the flour by pressing the Pulse button on and off until the mixture is well combined.
3. Mix together the ice water and cider vinegar. Turn on the processor and, with one hand pressed firmly down on the lid of it, pour the liquid slowly through the tube. Pressing down on the lid prevents any jerky motion of the processor as the dough forms.
4. As soon as the mixture pulls away from the sides of the processor and forms a cohesive mass, turn off the machine.
5. Test the texture of the dough before removing it from the processor. If it feels a little dry and is not soft and pliable, add a few more drops of water. The dough requires no lengthy refrigeration before rolling out, but it may be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated briefly while making the filling. (If the dough is refrigerated for longer than about 30 minutes, the butter in it will harden and the dough will have to be softened at room temperature before it can be rolled out.)

For the pie filling:

1. In a large bowl, combine the strawberries and rhubarb.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Pour the sugar mixture over the fruit and mix everything together well. Add the 1 beaten egg and toss the fruit around to blend it in. Set the bowl of filling aside while you roll out the pie crust.

Assembling and baking the pie:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F and position the oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
2. On a lightly floured pastry board, roll out half the dough into a circle that will fit into the pie pan with a 1-inch overhang. fit the round of dough into the pan.
3. Roll out the second half of dough into a circle of similar size to the first one. With a pastry wheel or knife, cut the round into 1/2-inch strips.
4. Pour the filling into the pastry-lined pan.
5. Weave the lattice crust (this is the fun part): Lay half of the pastry strips horizontally across the pie filling 1-inch apart. Place a long strip vertically down through the center of the pie, and weave it over and under the horizontal strips, gently folding back every other horizontal strip and placing the vertical strip beneath it. Work out from the center, placing the vertical strips about 1-inch apart and weaving each one over and under in the same way as you did the first one. Note: If the long center vertical strip crosses OVER the corresponding long horizontal one in the center of the pie, then the vertical strips on either side of it will cross UNDER the long horizontal one.
6. Trim any overhang from the strips to the edge of the pie pan.
7. Fold the overhang from the bottom crust up over the edges of the strips, all around the rim of the pan, pressing the overhang to seal it over the strips and form a pastry border all around the rim of the pie.
8. Crimp the border using your fingers.
9. Brush the lattice and crimped border with the egg wash (egg combined with the water) and bake the pie for 40-45 minutes, or until the crust is golden.
10. Cool the pie at room temperature before cutting it. A pitcher of sweetened (or unsweetened) fresh cream is a nice accompaniment. Especially if it comes from the hands of a friend.

An acknowledgement: This pie crust recipe is an adaptation of one on the King Arthur Flour website.