thefoodlessprocessed

Here is another traditional American pie. This one is often associated with springtime and Easter dinner.

Read about less-processed ingredient options through these links: Apple Juice, Apple Juice Concentrate, Butter, Cinnamon, Flour, Fruit, Nutmeg, Potato Starch, Salt, Water.

Equipment for the Pastry and Filling

• A Large Mixing Bowl and a Small Mixing Bowl
• a Pastry Board
• a Rolling Pin
• a Traditional American Slant-Sided Pie Pan with a 10-inch (25.5 cm) Diameter Base
• A Large, Heavy-Bottomed Saucepan
• a Flame Tamer (aka Heat Diffuser, Simmering Plate) is optional. The pot does not sit directly over the heat source. The filling can cook slowly and evenly and is less likely to scorch. Some brands may be used on a smooth-top burner.
• a Whisk
• Kitchen Scissors
• a Rimmed Pan lined with a sheet of Parchment Paper on which to bake the pie.

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/2 recipes of thefoodlessprocessed: Alsatian Short Crust Pastry.
• 2 pounds (907 g or round up to a 1 kg) of Organic Fresh Strawberries
• 1/2 pound (227 g or a little more or less) of Fresh Rhubarb Stalks (preferably slender stalks).
• 3/4 cup total homemade Apple Juice Concentrate from thefoodlessprocessed recipe or the same amount of thawed Frozen 100% Apple Juice Concentrate (177.5 ml) divided into two parts of 1/2 cup (128 ml) and 1/4 cup (60 ml).
• 4 Tablespoons of Unmodified Potato Starch
• 1 Egg, beaten
• 3 Tablespoons (42 g)of Organic European-style Unsalted Butter
• 1/2 teaspoon Organic Ground Cinnamomum Verum (aka Organic Ceylon Cinnamon)
• 1/4 teaspoon Organic Ground Nutmeg or Freshly Grated Nutmg

Making the Filling

• Partially freeze the rhubarb stalks to prevent them from stringing before cutting them in 1/2 inch pieces (pieces of a little more than a centimeter).
• Slice the strawberries in quarters or halves, depending on their size.
• Add the fruit and 1/4 cup (60 ml) of apple juice concentrate to the saucepan. Place the pan on the flame tamer and adjust the heat to a low temperature. Cook the fruit slowly until it begins to soften. Remove it from the heat.
• In the small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup (128ml) of apple juice concentrate and the 4 Tablespoons of potato starch.
• Add this mixture and 3 Tablespoons (42 g) of butter to the cooked fruit and place the pot back on the flame tamer.
• Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the filling thickens.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the beaten egg.
• Cool the filling.

Assembling the Pie and Baking

Gas or Convection Oven:  thefoodlessprocessed uses a gas oven. The conversions from Fahrenheit to Celsius do not attempt to adjust for differences between baking in a gas or convection oven. I have no experience using a convection oven, and leave adjustments to the better judgement of you who do have.

• Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).
• Roll about 2/3 of the dough out on a lightly floured pastry board. Roll from the center out in all directions to form a circle that will fit in the pie pan with a generous overhang.
• Transfer the dough to the pie pan: Place the pie pan next to the board. Roll the dough loosely around the pin, towards you, until only about half the dough hangs down from the pin. Drape the unrolled portion over the edge of the pan nearest you and unroll the remainder out away from you, covering the pan.
• Press the dough down into the pan and up the sides.  Trim the overhang with kitchen scissors to meet the outer rim of the pie pan.
• Roll out the second half of dough into a circle of similar size to the first one.  With a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, cut the round into 1/2-inch strips (strips a little wider than 1 cm).
• Pour the cooled filling into the pastry-lined pan.
• Weave the lattice crust. Lay half of the pastry strips horizontally across the pie filling 1-inch (about 2 cm) apart.  Place a long strip vertically down through the center of the pie, and weave it over and under the horizontal strips, gently folding back every other horizontal strip and placing the vertical strip beneath it.  Work out from the center, placing the vertical strips about 1-inch (2 cm) apart and weaving each one over and under in the same way as you did the first one.  (Note:  If the long center vertical strip crosses over the corresponding long horizontal one in the center of the pie, then the vertical strips on either side of it will cross under the long horizontal one.)
• Trim the lattice to the same size as the bottom crust. Roll the ends of the lattice strips and the bottom crust together inwards and crimp them together to form a raised border.

• Place the pie on the rimmed pan lined with parchment and bake it on the lower middle rack until it is golden. The estimated baking time is 40 minutes.
• Cool the pie completely before cutting it.