Recipes: Rhubarb custard pie

RHUBARB CUSTARD PIE

Makes one 9-inch pie

Midwesterners love their rhubarb pie straight up (strawberries are better left for shortcake), and if you try this recipe, we think you'll agree. For an 8-inch pie plate, use less rhubarb, about 4 to 5 cups. Adapted from Patricia Wells.

• 1 to 1¹/₂c. granulated sugar (depending on tartness desired)

•¹/₄c. flour

• Dash of ground cinnamon

• Dash of ground nutmeg

• Pinch salt, optional

• 3 eggs, slightly beaten

• 6 to 8 c. chopped rhubarb, about 2 to 3 pounds untrimmed (6 c. for 9-inch pie plate, 8 c. for 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate)

• Pastry for 1 double-crust pie (see recipe)

• 1 to 2 tbsp. butter, cut in small pieces

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, if desired. Add beaten eggs and rhubarb, tossing to coat. Pour into pastry-lined pie plate. Dot with butter and top with lattice crust. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until filling bubbles and crust is golden brown.

Nutrition information per serving of 8:

Calories480Fat27 gSodium112 mg

Carbohydrates54 gSaturated fat16 gCalcium201 mg

Protein7 gCholesterol145 mgDietary fiber2 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 2 bread/starch, 1½ other carb, 5½ fat.

FLAKY ALL-BUTTER PASTRY

Makes two 9-inch crusts, enough for 1 double-crust pie.

• 2 c. flour

•¹/₄tsp. salt

• 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into cubes

• 6 tbsp. ice water

Directions

Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process to blend. Add the butter and process until well-blended, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, add the ice water and process until the mixture just begins to form a ball, about 10 seconds.

Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and, with the palm of your hand, smear it 2 or 3 times across the work surface until it is smooth and the flour and butter are well-blended. (Do not overhandle it or it will become tough.) Cut the dough in half and form into 2 round disks about 5 inches across. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours before rolling out for use. Use half to line the pie plate, the other for the latttice.

To make a woven lattice crust, cut 1/2-inch-wide strips of pastry and lay about seven strips next to each other on a piece of parchment paper about 1 inch apart; fold every other strip back halfway from center. Take a new strip of pastry and lay it crosswise down the center; replace folded part of strips. Now fold back alternate strips; put a second cross strip in place. Repeat to weave cross strips into lattice. Carefully slide lattice onto filled pie, seal ends and crimp the edges.