Rhubarb Cream Pie

Today's blog is about most Martitimers favourite pie ingredient (except apple? Don't we ALL love a good apple pie?). I didn't realise it as a child, but I think rhubarb must be one of the most prolific fruits (is it even a fruit?) available here. You can grow quite a lot in one summer and, with the right amount of sugar or other fruits, it's a delicious part of any summer pie. I think my grandparents must have grown it in their garden, because every summer when we went down for a visit there was always some kind of rhubarb pie. I remember in particular Rhubarb-Strawberry pie always being on hand for dessert. No Thanksgiving or even Christmas was complete without an assortment of pies either. Apple, Pumpkin, Lemon Meringue, or of course the ever-present Rhubarb with a touch of ice-cream or cream. It was more legend than fact to me as I only ever had it in the country. It isn't as easy to buy here in the city. So, unless like me you have family who grow it in their backyard, it's reserved for special occasions. My in-laws have one medium-sized plant that seems to provide endless batches of the stalky reddish bush. Ever since my husband and I have been married I've enjoyed even more variations on the theme of rhubarb from my mother-in-law's kitchen, as well as several ziploc bags crammed with pre-washed and pre-cut rhubarb fresh to try my own recipes on. I had to take a hiatus from rhubarb while pregnant, so now that our third child is born I've been looking for new recipes to use the stock-pile of frozen rhubarb inhabiting my freezer these past 9 months. Luckily, my Grammie also had a great fondness for rhubarb, and I've re-discovered some recipes that are old favourites and some that are sure to be new ones too. I found a particularly adorable one that involves those cute little cinnamon heart candies. That one has certainly made the cut of must-try recipes. The one I chose for today, though, is for a type of pie I've never made, so I was intrigued. A simple and quick Rhubarb Cream Pie! My only advice after having baked this delicious treat is that if you're using frozen rhubarb is to be sure you let it defrost before using it as the condensation will make your filling too watery.

Here's a picture of everything you'll need. Not so menacing, right?

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp nutmeg

3 slightly beaten eggs

4 cups rhubarb (cut in 1 in pieces)

1 plain pastry

2 tbps butter

Firstly, sift together your sugar, flour and nutmeg in a smaller bowl. In another bowl, beat your three eggs lightly. They don't need to be stiff, just break the yolks and give them a few goods turns with a whisk. Add your flour mix to the eggs and then mix them together with your whisk (or a hand-mixer) until smooth. Add your rhubarb and stir them in until all the pieces are evenly coated. Put your pie crust in a 9 in pie plate and then pour your filling in. Dot the top of this with butter and then top with a lattice. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 50-60 minutes.

Just a side note, I do realise my lattice work is atrocious. I made my own pie crust and didn't save enough for the top, so I just used what I had as best as a could. Here's the finished product! We topped ours with whipped cream when we ate it and, despite being a little watery from the condensation when the rhubarb defrosted, it was delicious. The light taste of the cream was a great compliment to the tart rhubarb!

Enjoy your baking!