Best Rhubarb Pie Ever!!! From My Grandma to Your Kitchen..

I love rhubarb, and I am so glad that it is finally in season again!!  For those who are not so familiar with this delicious vegetable, it looks like pink celery, but is completely different in flavor.  I don't know of anyone who eats it raw, but it takes on a lovely tart flavor when cooked.  

Anything sour, and I'm sold, so I love rhubarb.  If you like lemon meringue or gooseberry pie, then you will love rhubarb pie.  The following recipe is my grandmother's, and I've never tasted anything like it elsewhere.  You will notice an absence of strawberries (which often end up in rhubarb pies), and no other spices to distract from the tart flavor of the rhubarb.  I am also including a great pie crust recipe.

Grandma's Rhubarb Pie

2 c. chopped rhubarb

1 1/4 c. sugar (yes, it's a lot of sugar, but the pie is still sour in the end!)

2 tsp. butter

1 egg, beaten

2 tbsp. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2-crust pie shell

Beat together sugar, egg, flour, and salt.  It will be thick.  Mix in rhubarb and stir well -- mixture will turn juicier.  Pour mixture into pie shell, dot with butter, and top with other crust.  Cut a few vents in the top crust to release steam during cooking.  Place pie pan on a cookie sheet to catch any drips.  Bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees F, then reduce to 350 degrees F and bake 40 more minutes.  Allow pie to sit at least 15 minutes before slicing.  It is great with a splash of milk, cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream to compliment the tartness of the pie.  This pie can also be made dairy-free by eliminating the butter or using a non-dairy substitute.

Butterless Pie Crust

Ever since I learned about trans-fats, I have become completely paranoid about buying anything with partially hydrogenated oils.  Since almost all pre-made pie shells contain either this or lard, I've found a great pie shell recipe that I can make at home.  It is vegan and can be used for other pies too!

2 c. sifted flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 c. vegetable oil

3 tbsp. cold water

In electric mixer, combine flour and salt.  Add oil gradually, followed by water.  Dough should turn smooth in the mixer.  Add a little more water if needed.  Remove dough from mixer, divide in two, and roll out each half on a floured surface.  When I do it, I lay a piece of wax paper on the counter, flour it, lay the dough on the flour, put more flour on top of the dough, and then top it with another piece of wax paper.  This makes it a lot easier to flip the dough while you're rolling it, and it won't stick to the counter.  It also makes it easier to transfer the dough to the pan because you can just roll up the dough in the wax paper and unroll it over the pan.   Add more flour as needed while you are rolling.