Rhubarb
Deep-Dish Pie with Raspberry Cream*
For Pastry
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
8 tbsp. (4 0z.) chilled, unsalted
butter
2 tbsp. (or more) cold water
For Filling
3 lbs. fresh rhubarb
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 tbsp. flour
Grated peel of 1 lemon
1 egg
Demarara sugar
For Whipped Cream Garnish
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. sour cream
2 tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tbsp. Raspberry Claret
To make pastry: Place flour, sugar and salt in bowl of food
processor. Cut butter into small cubes and add to flour. Process,
using on-off pulses, until mixture is granular, like oatmeal. Add 1 tbsp.
water and process a couple of seconds. Add another tablespoon of water and
pulse a few times. Feel the dough. It should feel damp enough to
mass together. Add a few drops more water if necessary. Turn dough
out and gather together into a ball. Wrap and chill while preparing
rhubarb.
Preheat oven to 425o F.
To make filling: Wash and trim the rhubarb, removing both the
leaves and base ends. Cut crosswise into 1/2" slices and place in a
large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour and grated lemon
peel, and mix with the rhubarb, tossing well. Pile into a 1-1/2-quart
baking dish (one that is approximately 1-1/2" deep), mounding in the
center.
On a floured work surface, roll out the dough into a round, approximately
2" larger than the top of the baking dish. Beat the egg with 1 tbsp.
water and brush edge of dish. Place the rolled out dough over the rhubarb.
Trim dough if necessary, leaving about 1/2" overhanging the dish.
Fold the dough under and press onto the rim and down the sides a little to seal
well. Cut 2 or 3 slashes in top of pastry, brush with beaten egg and
sprinkle lightly all over with Demarara sugar.
Place on lower shelf of oven and bake 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to
350o F. and bake another 30-40 minutes, until bubbly and golden on
top. If crust rim brown to much, cover rim with narrow strips of aluminum
foil. Server slightly warm with raspberry cream.
To make raspberry cream: Combine the heavy cream and sour cream
in a bowl. Beat until it begins to thicken. Add the powdered sugar
and beat into soft folds. Do not beat stiff. Stir in the Raspberry
Claret.
Serves 6-8
*This menu item was featured in the Easter Menus by Chuck Williams, owner of
Williams-Sonoma retail stores and catalogs.