Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Crumble Topping

This Strawberry Rhubarb Pie is so delicious, with it’s crumble topping of oats and butter baking into the sweet tart ruby filling.

Strawberry Rhubarb pie is always a favourite and those who like it, like it a lot!

I think this pie with a buttery crumble topping is more exciting than a double crust pie

Rhubarb in large quantities is not easy to find in most grocery stores.  Lots of places carried it when in season but usually just a few stalks cut short and then wrapped, so when I was baking a lot of strawberry rhubarb pies, I would call to see if they had some in.  Then I would go and take it all.

Usually, a fellow shopper would approach me and ask how one cooks it, and it would make my day!

Well, I would tell them everything I knew about using rhubarb.  They would actually be happy about it, must have been my enthusiasm and they would take a modest 4 or 5 long stalks, smile, nod and say, “I’ll take it” as if I were making a sale.

My main points would be, they are very tart.  Some people like to dip a fresh clean piece in sugar and eat it just like that. It is a diuretic.  I make Strawberry Rhubarb Pies with them.

I stand in the produce section often whether I need to or not because I like to talk about food.

People also ask me what I do with all the carrots I buy (I make carrot cake and juice them a lot).

I slice the rhubarb on the thinner side so it is less stringy.  Someone told me they peel theirs.

Don’t do that.  You will lose that beautiful ruby red.

I quarter the strawberries for more even pieces, but you can also slice them.

Rhubarb freezes well, so buy it, wash and cut it, measure it out and put it in freezer bags.

You can then use them with the strawberries in season, but you can get strawberries almost anytime, and you’ll be ready.

How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Crumble Topping

Pie Crust Ingredients

Crumble Topping Ingredients

Filling Ingredients

Pie Crust

1. Combine in a large bowl, or food processor, the flour, icing sugar, cornstarch and salt.  

2. Add the butter and solid at room temperature coconut oil if using. (or just use ½ cup (227g) cold butter.) I used refined coconut oil because it does not have a strong coconut taste.

3. Cut in with a pastry cutter until you have small pieces, like small peas of fat.  Or pulse a few times in the food processor just until crumbly.

4. Combine the vinegar and ice water and add 4 Tbsps of this to the flour mixture.

5. Stir lightly, or pulse just until it starts to clump.

6. Form a ball and give it a few good kneads to get rid of spaces that will give you problems when you roll it out.

7. Press it into a disk and wrap it.  Refrigerate it for an hour at least.  This will relax the glutens so the pie crust will not be tough and it makes it easier to roll out.

8. Prepare the crumble topping while the crust rests.

Crumble Topping

1. Combine the flour, sugar, salt and oats in a bowl or food processor. 

2. Cut in the butter or add the butter to the food processor and pulse a few times.  It’s ok for the oats to be pulsed as well.

9. After the crumble topping is ready and the crust has rested, flatten the dough by pounding it with the rolling pin to make it more pliable, so it doesn’t crack too much. 

10. Roll the crust out to fit the deep dish pie pan.  The pan should hold two pints (1 Litre).

11. Let the crust settle in to fit without stretching.  Fold the rough edges under and pinch all the way around until it is neat.  Flute the edge if you would like.

Filling

1. In a large bowl, toss the strawberries and rhubarb together.

2. Combine the remaining ingredients and mix well.  Set aside.

To Assemble

1. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of the cornstarch mixture into the bottom of the crust before combining it with the fruit.

2. Pour all into the cold crust.

3. Evenly spread all of the crumble topping over.

4. Place it on a cookie sheet as it will bubble over and burn and your fire alarm will go off.

5. Place in preheated 450°F (230°C) oven.

6. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Watch the crust for browning.

7. Reduce the heat to 400°F(200°C) and bake 10 minutes.

8. Reduce again to 350°F (180°C) and bake 20-25 minutes more.

It needs to be bubbling so you know that the cornstarch has cooked and your pie will be solid.

Cool completely before cutting.