Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Ingredients:

• You can use homemade pie crust or store bought!
• 3 cups sliced rhubarb cut into small pieces
• 2 and 1/2 cups chopped strawberries
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon orange juice from ripe oranges
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk
• granulated sugar for topping

Directions:

1. Stir the rhubarb, strawberries, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt, orange juice, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F.
3. On a floured work surface, roll out half of your pie dough or take pie dough out of the box. Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9×2 inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth.
4. Spoon the filling into the crust, leaving all of the excess liquid in the bowl (you don’t want that in the filling– discard it).
5. Drop the pieces of butter on top of the filling.
6. Take out the other half of your pie dough and roll it out. Using a pastry wheel, sharp knife, or pizza cutter, cut strips 1/2 – 1 inch wide. Carefully thread the strips over and under one another, pulling back strips as necessary to weave. Press the edges of the strips into the bottom pie crust edges to seal. Use a small knife to trim off excess dough. Crimp the edges with a fork, if desired.
7. Lightly brush the top of the pie crust with the egg/milk mixture.
8. Top with granulated sugar.
9. Place the pie onto a large baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Keeping the pie in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350°F and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes.
10. Allow the pie to cool for 3 full hours at room temperature before serving. This time allows the filling to thicken up. Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.