Emily Lycopolus shared with us this delicious recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Pie from her book Cedar & Salt, which features the local flavours of Vancouver Island. Rhubarb starts to make itself known in the early spring when gardens on Vancouver Island are just coming alive and whispering to us that summer is almost here and CSA boxes will soon be spilling over with fresh fruits and vegetables. Rhubarb and strawberry make the perfect duo if you’re looking for sweet and tart. And a pinch of nutmeg and allspice adds just the right amount of spice.
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie
Ingredients:
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp ground nutmeg, divided
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ½ cup cold salted butter, cubed
- 4 cups chopped rhubarb 3 cups chopped strawberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 batch chilled galette
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the oven rack on the bottom third of the oven. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, place the brown sugar, flour, ½ tsp of the nutmeg, and the allspice. Stir to combine and add the butter. Using a pastry blender or two knives, mix everything together to form a soft crumble. Set aside.
3. Place the rhubarb and strawberries in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt, and remaining ¼ tsp of nutmeg (in that order) and toss well to combine.
4. Roll out the prepared pastry to a 10-inch circle. Carefully transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Press down gently and crimp the pastry edges. Pour in the fruit and drizzle with the lemon juice. Sprinkle the crumble generously over the pie, pressing it gently over the fruit.
5. Place the pie plate on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, turn down the oven to 325°F without opening the door. Bake for 45 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the fruit is bubbling under and through the crumble.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool at least 6 hours or overnight. If the pie is cut before it is fully set, the fruit will ooze everywhere. While that is tasty, it makes it hard to cut the pie and store the leftovers.
7. The pie will keep, covered with a tea towel, at room temperature for 3 days, or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
