Rhubarb Custard Pie
May is rhubarb month and my birthday month. Good thing, I usually wanted a rhubarb/strawberry cake when I was little or a rhubarb pie. I am making myself a birthday Rhubarb Custard Pie, my mouth is already watering. My husband says it looks like asparagus pie. Ha, he doesn’t know what he’s missing, more for me. I will enjoy a slice every night. Yes, another one of my Grandmother’s recipes and this is also my father’s favorite pie. My Uncle has updated me on the family recipe; my Grandmother always made it with a meringue top. I have never had that way, since my father did not like it and my Mom made it with a lattice crust top. Interesting I am learning a lot of family cooking history and everyone puts their personal touch on the original recipe to make their own. I will have to freeze some rhubarb so I have it on hand throughout the year. My father usually requests it on his birthday, Christmas Day. I also have the best, easy, lower-fat pie crust recipe. I got it out of the Great Good Food Cookbook by Julee Rosso. It is so good, no changes are needed and it is my “go to” pie crust for all pies. If I need a savory pie crust, omit the sugar.
Flaky Pie Crust:
Yields two 9-inch single-crust pies
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
6 tablespoons ice water
1 Tablespoon skim milk
Place the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl, and blend well with a fork. Add the oil, and using a pastry blender or two table knives, cut the oil into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the water and milk over the mixture and blend it with a knife. Using your hands, gather the dough into two balls. Use immediately or wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. When rolling the dough out, roll it between two sheets of waxed paper.
Rhubarb Custard Pie
3 eggs
3 Tablespoon milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
4 cups sliced rhubarb
Two 9-inch pie crusts
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, Fahrenheit.
In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs slightly; add milk and whisk. Add sugar, flour and nutmeg; whisk until thoroughly combined. Fold in rhubarb; folding until rhubarb is coated with mixture. Pour into a pastry lined 9-inch pie pan. Cover with a lattice top. Brush top of pastry with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until nicely browned and filling is bubbly.
Serve at room temperature or cold. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator. I like it warm but I really like it cold.
