red celery to me, tasty treat to others

Growing up I had issues with fruit pie.  Cooked fruit had a weird texture that made my mouth quiver and my stomach churn.  I assume it was my subconscious freaking out by having something healthy show up in a dessert.  What, no fluffy meringue?  No gooey custard?  If it was disguised under a heaping mound of vanilla bean ice cream, I suppose I would slug it down.  Fortunately (or unfortunately for the waistline), my tastebuds' preferences expanded and pie made a nice home in my gut.  Especially the super sweet ones: cherry, berry, peach- yum.

Then certain people made their way into my life and began expounding upon the wonders of the rhubarb plant.  I'll eat it doused in sugar, but I suppose I would eat a napkin if it were as well.   This "red celery" and its terrible tartness befuddled me.  Again I thought of compromise and decided I would stretch myself to slather the rhubarb in its usual strawberry counterpart but my compromise was turned down flat.  The demand was made that no strawberries be added to boost the sweetness of this tart plant.  "Ick, this dessertcannot exist," I thought as I searched for "rhubarb pie."  Well, gee, what hasn't been attempted yet?

Now that rhubarb is inching its way back into the grocery market and the plant in my backyard is reaching for the light, I suppose it is appropriate to post this recipe.  I would say feel free to add the berries but this is actually intriguing as a rhubarb-only pie.  Especially with some vanilla bean on top...

Rhubarb Pie

from Sweet Fine Day
Yield: 8 slices

INGREDIENTS

Pie dough for an 8 to 10-inch two crust pie (I used the Perfect Pie Crust recipe from Sticky Chewy Messy Gooey)
6 C rhubarb, washed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 C sugar
4 tsp cornstarch

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
1. Roll half of the pie dough to 1/8-inch thickness.  Press into the bottom of an 8 to 10 inch pie pan.
2. Mix together the remaining ingredients and pour into the pie.
3. Roll the remaining dough and lay on top. Crimp the edges to seal, and make five small cuts in the top with a small knife.
4. Bake for 1 hour, until the crust is golden. Cool completely before slicing, serve with ice cream if desired.