Strawberry and Rhubarb Pie

A British dessert featuring a crispy lattice of puff pastry and a delicate filling of strawberries and rhubarb. Perfect for afternoon tea or a festive table.

Ingredients

• 350 g Wheat flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 227 g Butter
• 120 ml Cold water
• 450 g Fresh rhubarb
• 450 g Fresh strawberries
• 3 tbsp Cornstarch
• 150 g Sugar
• 0.25 tsp Ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp Lemon juice
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 2 tbsp Milk
• 1 tbsp Sugar

Instructions

1. Place flour, salt, and 2 tablespoons of sugar into a food processor. Mix until combined. Add diced butter and process for about 15 seconds until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
2. Slowly pour cold water in a thin stream through the feed tube while processing until the dough just begins to clump when squeezed. Do not process for more than 30 seconds. Add more water by the teaspoon if needed.
3. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it into a ball, and divide in half. Flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for approximately one hour. This will chill the butter and allow the gluten to rest.
4. Remove the first disk of dough from the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a 30 cm circle, constantly lifting and rotating the dough a quarter turn to maintain even thickness. Roll from the center outward to the edges.
5. Fold the rolled dough in half and carefully transfer it to a 23 cm pie dish. Remove any excess flour. Trim the overhanging dough to leave a 1.5 cm border. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
6. Remove the second disk and roll it into a 33 cm circle. Cut the dough into 2 cm wide strips using a fluted pastry wheel or pizza cutter. Arrange the strips on parchment paper, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
7. Place the chopped strawberries and rhubarb in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, mix the cornstarch, 150 g sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of this mixture onto the bottom of the chilled dough-lined dish.
8. Add the remaining sugar mixture to the berries and rhubarb, gently tossing to combine. Pour the filling into the pie dish. Drizzle with lemon juice and dot with small pieces of butter on the surface.
9. Remove the chilled dough strips from the refrigerator. Starting from the center with the longest strips, arrange them over the filling with 2.5 cm spacing. Fold back every other strip about halfway. Place the first cross strip, unfold the folded strips, and fold the ones you didn't touch. Continue alternating to create a lattice pattern. Trim the strip ends, leaving 1 cm overhang. Fold the edges under the bottom crust and crimp decoratively.
10. Brush the lattice with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Cover the pie with plastic wrap. Preheat the oven to 205°C and position the rack in the lower third. Place a baking sheet lined with foil on the rack (to catch dripping juice). Once the oven is preheated, place the pie dish on the baking sheet.
11. Bake for 35 minutes. If the edges brown too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil. Continue baking for approximately 10 more minutes until the crust turns golden and the filling begins to bubble at the edges.
12. Remove the pie from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool to room temperature for several hours. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
13. Leftover pie keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat before serving. The pie can be frozen.