Raspberry Rhubarb Pie

I found a roll of Kodak Gold film from who knows when in the bottom of a drawer and loaded it in my camera the other day. Expired film is so fun (and random!) to work with. I got about 20 shots of yellow, super-grainy photos and a couple of snaps like the one above. Perfectly, imperfect. I guess even old crappy film can't keep a pie this good looking down.

I can't believe I had never made a rhubarb and raspberry pie before this one. Sure I've made cute little rhubarb and raspberry galettes and I've mixed rhubarb with just about every other berry that exists, but this pie: THIS PIE. If I ever get invited to compete in a pie contest, this will be my entry and it will win every damn blue ribbon there is to win. Strawberry rhubarb, step aside because raspberry rhubarb is where it's at. I used an all purpose flour crust for this guy, but I imagine a rye crust would be mighty fine too.

For a peek into my pie making process, check out this video made by photographer and pal Jen Causey who came over last week and shot me making this beaut. It was so much fun and we ate pie for lunch! Thanks Jen!

Raspberry Rhubarb Pie

yield, 1 double crust pie

Crust

12 ounces all purpose flour 
1 teaspoons salt
9 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
4 ounces ice cold water
1 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

To make the crust, combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut in half of the butter until it is the size of peas, then cut in the other half until it is the size lima beans. Some of the butter will be completely worked into the flour, but you should have lots of visible pieces of butter in the dough too. Add the apple cider vinegar to the water and make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Use a gentle hand or wooden spoon to mix the water into the flour until just combined. If the dough seems very dry, add more water a couple of teaspoons at a time. You have added enough water when you can pick up a handful of the dough and squeeze it together without it falling apart. Press the dough together, then split it in half, form into discs and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for at least one hour before using, or overnight.

Filling

20 ounces rhubarb (about 5 stalks)
6 ounces raspberries (about 2 handfuls)
10 ounces sugar
2 ounces all purpose flour
zest and juice of 1/2 of a lemon
pinch salt
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped and pod reserved for another use
egg and crunchy sugar for topping

To Assemble and Bake

Preheat oven to 425º


On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of the dough into a 12'' circle about 1/8'' thick and place it into a' pie pan. Place in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the pie. Roll out the other piece of dough into a 12'' circle about 1/8'' thick and place it in the fridge on a sheet pan to chill while you prepare the filling.

In a large bowl, rub the vanilla bean seeds and lemon zest into the sugar to evenly distribute. Remove the leaves from the rhubarb (if there are any) and chop it into 1/2-inch pieces. Add the rhubarb, raspberries, flour, lemon juice and salt into the large bowl with the sugar and gently toss to combine evenly. Be careful not to crush the raspberries too much. Fill the prepared pie shell with the rhubarb mixture and top with the second crust, crimp the edges and cut a few vents in the top. 

Alternately, you can top the pie with a lattice-style crust as I've done in the photos above. Here is a link to a great photo tutorial on Simply Recipes. When I make a lattice topped pie, I like to use nice thick strips of dough, so the ones pictured above are about 1-inch wide.

If the crust seems soft or warm, slide the whole pie into the fridge or freezer for about 15 minutes before you bake it. When you are ready to bake, brush the top of the pie with a beaten egg and sprinkle with a healthy dose of coarse sugar.

Put the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake for 15min on the lowest rack of your oven, then lower the oven temp to 400º and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the crust is deep golden brown and the rhubarb juices bubble. Cool before serving.

Apple, Cranberry, and Quince Pie

First things first, if you live in the United States please VOTE today! Make your voice heard and exercise your rights people. It feels good and you might even get a fun sticker to wear. Then, maybe make a pie to calm your nerves while you wait for the election returns to roll in tonight. You could also just bookmark this one for Thanksgiving and go to your neighborhood watering hole for a pint instead. I won't judge.

Apple, Cranberry and Quince Pie
The combination of sweet apples, tart cranberries, and floral quince is a new favorite of mine and this pie would be a perfect addition to any holiday table. If you can't find quince, just replace it with another apple, but I encourage you to seek it out and give it a try!

For the Crust

This crust comes to you from Brandi Henderson of I made that! and The Pantry at Delancey
where she teaches a class called "How to be a Pie Ninja" and she is not messing around. This
crust is made with  a technique called fraisage which creates long sheets of buttery flakes
throughout the dough instead of little pockets of butter.

12 ounces pastry flour
8 ounces cold butter
4 ounces ice water
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Mix the flour and salt together, then pour the whole lot on a large cutting board or countertop.
2. With a bench scraper, cut in half of the butter until it is the size of lima beans, then cut in the
other half of the butter until it is the size of quarters. Add the apple cider vinegar to the water.
3. Using your fingers, flick the water on to the butter flour mixture and gently fold it in with your
bench scraper. You have added enough water when you can pick up a handful of the dough
and squeeze it together without it falling apart.
4. Then, you smear the butter into the dough. With the heel of your hand push a section of the
dough down and away from you. Scrape your sheet off of the board and place it in a bowl to
the side. Repeat until you have worked through all of the dough, pushing it down and away
from you in sections. Once you've gone through all of the dough gently remove it from the bowl,
press it together, then split it in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap and form into a disk.
Chill the dough for at least one hour before using. I like to chill mine overnight.

For the Filling

4 large apples (about 2.5 lbs) I like mutsus, jonathans, golden delicious, and cortlands
1 large quince
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/2-3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
zest and juice of one small lemon
zest and juice of half of an orange
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter

Peel and core the the apples then cut them into 1/2'' chunks. Peel and core the quince and cut it into 1/4'' pieces. Place the apples, quince and cranberries in a large bowl then add lemon
and orange juices and zests, stir gently to combine. Add the rest of the filling ingredients (except
the butter) and stir gently to combine.

For the Topping

1 egg, beaten
A few teaspoons of coarse sugar like turbinado or light demerara

To Assemble and Bake

Preheat oven to 400º

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of the dough into a 12’’ circle 1/4''-1/8'' thick
and place it into a 9 or 10 inch pie pan. Place in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the pie.
2. Roll out the other piece of dough into a 12'' circle about 1/4''-1/8'' thick and place it in the
fridge to chill while you prepare the filling.
3. Fill the prepared pie shell with the apple mixture, dot with the 2 tablespoons butter, and top
with the second crust, trim the edges so there is about 1/2’’ of overhang then crimp the edges
and cut a few vents in the top. If you'd like to make a lattice top (like the pie pictured), here is a really great step-by-step slideshow from Bon Appetit.com.
4. If the crust seems soft or warm, slide the whole pie into the fridge or freezer for about 15min
before you bake it. When you are ready to bake brush the top of the pie with a beaten egg and
sprinkle with a healthy dose of coarse sugar.
5. Put the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake for 15 minutes on the lowest rack
of your oven, then lower the oven temp to 350º and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the crust is
deep golden brown and the fruit juices bubble. For extra shine, glaze the pie with another coat
of egg wash 10 minutes before you take it out of the oven, but keep a close eye on it to prevent burning.

Out West and Cherry Berry Pie

A trip out west, some Daytrotting, a puppy named Garp, bug bites, a dilapidated farmhouse turned art gallery, a rock and roll show in a barn, and a family reunion capped off with a cherry berry pie that was baked in an unfamiliar kitchen then served to familiar folks, with this no-churn ice cream and devoured in seconds.

Where is your summer taking you? I'd love to hear.

Cherry Berry Pie
Sweet cherries and tart berries are combined to make this super summery pie. I used my favorite pie crust recipe, but feel free to use your own favorite recipe if you have one.

For the Crust
This crust comes to you from Brandi Henderson of I made that! and The Pantry at Delancey where she teaches a class called "How to be a Pie Ninja" and she is not messing around. Brandi uses a technique called fraisage which creates long sheets of buttery flakes throughout the dough instead of little pockets of butter. Delightful!

12 oz pastry flour 
8 oz cold butter 
4 oz ice water 
1t apple cider vinegar 
1/2t salt 

1. Mix the flour and salt together, then pour the whole lot on a large cutting board or countertop.
2. With a bench scraper, cut in half of the butter until it is the size of lima beans, then cut in the other half of the butter until it is the size of quarters. Add the apple cider vinegar to the water.
3. Using your fingers, flick the water on to the butter flour mixture and gently fold it in with your bench scraper. You have added enough water when you can pick up a handful of the dough and squeeze it together without it falling apart.
4. Then, get this, you smear the butter into the dough. With the heel of your hand push a section of the dough down and away from you. Congratulations, you have just created a sheet of butter which is going to turn delicious flaky crust. Scrape your sheet off of the board and place it in a bowl to the side. Repeat until you have worked through all of the dough, pushing it down and away from you in sections. Once you've gone through all of the dough gently remove it from the bowl, press it together, then split it in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap and form into a disk. Chill the dough for at least one hour before using. I chilled mine overnight.

If this sounds confusing, check out the link above for a really helpful photo tutorial.

For the Filling

1 pint blueberries
1 pint blackberries
2 pints sweet cherries, pitted and roughly chopped
2-4 ounces sugar, depending on the sweetness of your fruit
zest of one lemon
2T lemon juice
1.25 ounces flour
1/2t almond extract
pinch salt
pinch freshly grated nutmeg

For the Topping

1 egg, beaten
A few tablespoons of coarse sugar like turbinado or light demerara

To Assemble and Bake

Preheat oven to 450º 1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of the dough into a 12'' circle about 1/8'' thick and place it into a 9 or 10 inch pie pan. Place in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the pie.
2. Roll out the other piece of dough into a 12'' circle about 1/8'' thick and place it in the fridge to chill while you prepare the filling.
3. In a large bowl,  combine the fruit, sugar, lemon zest and juice, flour, almond extract, salt and nutmeg. Toss gently to combine. Fill the prepared pie shell with the berry mixture and top with the second crust, crimp the edges and cut a few vents. Alternately, you can top the pie with a lattice-style crust as I've done in the photo above. Here is a link to a great photo tutorial on Simply Recipes. When I make a lattice topped pie, I like to use nice thick strips of dough, the strips pictured above are about 1'' wide.
4. If the crust seems soft or warm, slide the whole pie into the fridge or freezer for about 15min before you bake it. When you are ready to bake brush the top of the pie with a beaten egg and sprinkle with a healthy dose of coarse sugar.
5. Put the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake for 15min on the lowest rack of your oven, then lower the oven temp to 350º and bake for 40-50min or until the crust is deep golden brown and the berry juices bubble. Cool at least 2 hours before serving, preferably more.