Rhubarb Custard Pie and Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

It is rhubarb time, and rhubarb has been growing here in MN for a while.  Two of my customers favorite pies are made with rhubarb - Rhubarb Custard and Strawberry-Rhubarb.  With strawberries in season, both pies are a good choice.  For each pie you will need a double recipe for pie crust.   

Rhubarb Custard Pie

3 eggs, beaten

3 T. ½+½

2 c. sugar

¼ c. flour

¾ t. cinnamon

5 c. rhubarb, washed, cut up into ½ inch pieces

2 T. butter

Mix together the first 6 ingredients.  Roll out ½ of
the pie dough and line a 9" pie plate. Fill pastry crust with mixture.  Dot with butter.  Top with the 2nd crust, seal and flute.  Cut slits in the crust.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 50-60 minutes until golden brown and the filling is done.  Cool.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

3 c. rhubarb, washed, cut up into ½ inch pieces

2 c. strawberries, washed, hulled and cut in half

1¼ c. sugar

¼ c. flour

3 eggs

3 T. ½+½

2 T. butter                                  

Follow the instructions for rhubarb custard pie.

Here is a little trivia about rhubarb.  Rhubarb is usually considered a vegetable; however in the US, a New York court decided in 1947 that since it was used in the US as a fruit it was to be counted as a fruit for the purpose of regulations and duties.  A side effect was the reduction of taxes paid.  Rhubarb first came to the US in 1820's and is commonly called "pie plant" since it is used for making pies.