Rhubarb Custard Pie

Name: Rhubarb Custard Pie
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: makes One 9-inch pie
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 3 ⁄ 4 tsp. baking powder; 1 1 ⁄ 4 tsp. salt; 3 ⁄ 4 cup chilled lard or Crisco, or a combination of 1⁄4 cup Crisco and 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter; 2 cups thinly sliced rhubarb; 1 1 ⁄ 2 cups sugar; 4 large eggs; 1 tbsp. heavy cream

Serves
makes One 9-inch pie

LAURIE SMITH

This pie is typical of the country cooking found throughout the rural South—simple, pure, and rustic.

Ingredients

For the Pastry Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour
³⁄₄ tsp. baking powder
1 ¹⁄₄ tsp. salt
³⁄₄ cup chilled lard or Crisco, or a combination of 1⁄4 cup Crisco and 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter

For the Filling

2 cups thinly sliced rhubarb
1 ¹⁄₂ cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tbsp. heavy cream

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Instructions

Step 1

For the pastry: In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in lard until mixture resembles a coarse meal. With a fork, stir in 1⁄4 cup ice water, 1 tbsp. at a time, until dough barely holds together. Add 1 or 2 tbsp. more water if dough is still dry. Knead 3 times and gather into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 350°. On a well-floured surface, roll dough into a 9" circle. Press into pie pan and bake 15 minutes.

Step 3

For the filling: In a medium bowl, toss rhubarb with 1 cup of the sugar. Let sit until fruit has released its juices, about 1 hour. Strain, reserving juice.

Step 4

To make custard, beat eggs with cream and remaining 1⁄2 cup sugar. Stir in rhubarb juice.

Step 5

Scatter rhubarb in crust and pour in custard. Bake until custard is set but loose, about 30 minutes. Do not overbake.

For the pastry: In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in lard until mixture resembles a coarse meal. With a fork, stir in 1⁄4 cup ice water, 1 tbsp. at a time, until dough barely holds together. Add 1 or 2 tbsp. more water if dough is still dry. Knead 3 times and gather into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°. On a well-floured surface, roll dough into a 9" circle. Press into pie pan and bake 15 minutes.
For the filling: In a medium bowl, toss rhubarb with 1 cup of the sugar. Let sit until fruit has released its juices, about 1 hour. Strain, reserving juice.
To make custard, beat eggs with cream and remaining 1⁄2 cup sugar. Stir in rhubarb juice.
Scatter rhubarb in crust and pour in custard. Bake until custard is set but loose, about 30 minutes. Do not overbake.