Hello everyone,
I hope you have had a good week. With Anzac day starting the week, it gave us time to reflect about what others have done for us and this great country. There is a lot to be proud of and thankful for when you live in Australia. We need these occasions to remind us to reflect.
There is nothing like the familiar and food is one of those things that brings the memories back for me. I was very lucky growing up with women that loved cooking. Both my Mum and my grandmothers made lovely apple tarts and pies, but a favourite of mine was a rhubarb pie. I remember my Granny (Grandma) showing me how to make a rhubarb pie when I was about eight years old. Now I make it for my family, giving it a slight twist, making more happy memories and an appreciation for the good things in life. I hope it does the same for you.
Ingredients:
Short crust pastry
300g (2 cups) plain flour
150g (5 oz) cold, cubed butter
1 egg, lightly whisked
Chilled water (the amount needed will be small, possibly 1- 2 tablsp.)
The filling
A bunch of rhubarb (8 – 10 sticks), chopped
2 cooking apples, peeled, cored and cubed
1 cup of brown sugar
¼ teasp. cinnamon
1 egg, lightly whisked, for glazing
Serves: Approximately 8 Prep: 30 mins Cooking: 1 hours
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Brush 19cm (7½inch) pie dish with melted butter. This is optional, but sometimes I find sprinkling flour on the base also helps with preventing the pastry base sticking to the dish.
To make the pastry, place the flour and butter in a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the egg with a knife until the dough just comes together. You may have to add some ice cold water if it is still a bit crumbly. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge while you make the filling.
Place the rhubarb, apples, cinnamon, sugar and 2 tablespoons of water into a saucepan. Heat over a medium heat until it bubbles and then turn down to low, stirring occasionally. Cook until both the rhubarb and apples are tender.
Turn the pastry dough onto a floured board and divide it in half. Roll out one half and place on the base and bake it blind (place baking paper on top of the pastry and then either baking beads, rice or desserts spoons, to stop the pastry rising when cooking). Bake for 10 mins, then remove the baking paper and the beads (rice or spoons) and bake for a further 10mins, until a golden colour.
Place the rhubarb and apple mixture in the cooked pastry shell. Roll out the other pastry half. Before placing on top of the filling, brush the rim of the base with water. This will allow the base to stick to the top. Place the rolled pastry on top, trim any excess and seal the edges with a fork or with your fingers. You can cut shapes out from the leftover pastry and stick on top with water.
Brush the top with the egg.
Bake in an oven for approximately 30 mins or until golden brown.
Serve with custard, cream or ice cream or all three if you want to be a complete lush.
Yum!
Have an earthly passionate time cooking,
Attracta & the team