Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

One of the gifts of spring/early summer is fresh strawberry-rhubarb pie. It's truly magical how the well the orange tang of rhubarb and the mouthwatering sweet of sun-ripened strawberries melt into each other in the heat of the oven. Well, my recipe is based on a recipe from the classic pie bible, Farm Journal's Complete Pie Cookbook. I highly recommend serving with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

Ingredients


1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup Splenda©, less if your strawberries are extra-sweet
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Minute tapioca
2 cups fresh strawberries
2 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon grated orange peel, optional
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg, optional
2 tablespoons butter
Sugar, for sprinkling on top
1 pie crust, with extra for making lattice strips

Prepare your pastry and place in a 9-inch pie pan—also, cut a few strips for the top lattice. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Combine the sugar/Splenda, salt, and tapioca in a bowl.

Arrange half of the strawberries and rhubarb in the pan, sprinkle with half of the sugar mixture. Repeat with the other half. Dot the pie with butter. Arrange the lattice strips and seal to the sides. Flute or fork the edges. Brush the top with water and sprinkle on a little sugar.

Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until rhubarb is tender and the crust is browned.