Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

So, my friend Shannon is biking 300 miles this week to raise awareness about climate change. She's titled her journey: Will Bike For Change (Or Pie!), and since she's joining us for dinner tonight before her ride kicks off in New York I thought it only fitting that we have pie for dessert. Strawberry-Rhubarb is a classic spring pie, and while rhubarb is bitter on it's own it pairs nicely with the sweetness of the strawberries. You'll find yourself headed back to your 'fridge for seconds.

A tip from me: Strawberries and rhubarb are both juicy ingredients. This pie will most likely turn out to have some extra liquid. Rather than drowning your filling with too much more flour than the recipe calls for, embrace a little juice! You can always serve your pie over ice cream, where juice is an advantage. Now, wouldn't that be a shame?

Ingredients

For the crust you'll need...
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup vegetable shortening
- 1.5 TBSP vinegar
- 10-12 TBSP water

For the filling you'll need...
- 6 cups strawberries, de-stemmed and sliced
- 2 cups rhubarb stalks, sliced
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
- 1 tsp lemon juice, ideally freshly squeezed
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup flour

How To Cook It

The crust...
1) Blend flour and salt.
2) Cut in shortening with a pastry cutter until the pieces are the size of small peas.
3) Sprinkle the water/vinegar into the flour mixture while gently tossing the mixture with a fork. Form into two balls. Try to handle the dough as little as possible, but add a little more water if the dough is too dry.
4) Put the dough balls into the refrigerator to chill.
5) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit while you prepare the filling.

Assembling and baking your pie...
1) After you've combined your filling ingredients in a large bowl, grease a pie plate.
2) Place the dough on a floured surface and roll from the center to the edges to make a round flat dough that is a little bigger than your pie plate.
3) Gently fold it in half to pick it up and place it on the pie plate. Pat down and add your filling.
4) Repeat step two to make the top crust.
5) Crimp the edges together, using a little water if necessary.
6) Using a knife, cut some openings in the top of the pie. Be creative! You could do anything from a couple simple lines on up. Think of it like carving a jack-o-lantern if it helps you to have a little more fun.
7) Place the pie pan on a cookie sheet (to catch any drips) and bake for 50 minutes, or until the crust is nice and golden.
8) Allow your pie to rest for at least an hour before serving.