“This pie is typical of the country cooking found throughout the rural South—simple, pure, and rustic.” — Saveur Magazine
INGREDIENTS:
Pastry:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup chilled lard or Crisco, or a combination of 1/4 cup Crisco and 1/2 cup unsalted butter
Filling:
2 cups thinly sliced rhubarb
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon heavy cream
METHOD:
For the pastry:
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in lard until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. With a fork, stir in 1/4 cup ice water, 1 tbsp. at a time, until the dough barely holds together. Add 1 or 2 tbsp. more water if the dough is still dry. Knead 3 times and gather into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F. On a well-floured surface, roll the dough into a 9″ circle. Press into a pie pan and bake for 15 minutes.
For the filling:
In a medium bowl, toss rhubarb with 1 cup of sugar. Let sit until the fruit has released its juices, about 1 hour. Strain, reserving juice.
To make the custard, beat eggs with cream and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Stir in rhubarb juice.
Scatter rhubarb in the crust and pour in the custard. Bake until custard is set but loose, about 30 minutes. Do not overbake.
SOURCE: Saveur
