Elizabeth's Pie #21

Truth be told, this pie doesn't know what it is. It's got a little bit of everything in it: strawberries, raspberries, rhubarb, and even a green apple.

So...you don't like apple pie? Fine, how about a berry pie. No berries? Try this rhubarb one on for size.

It's got it all.

Even a winning reputation--someone, named Elizabeth (hence the pie's name), brought home a ribbon from the Iowa state fair with this recipe, which gives it somewhat of a celebrity status and if I were the owner of this recipe, I'd give it a proper celebrity name: straspbarbappleberry...or something like that.

I can see why it's a crowd-pleaser (or at least a pie judge-pleaser). The filling is tangy and sweet. We warmed ours and were happy with it's lovely gooeyness. Not to mention that I was very happy just to find this recipe at all. I had concocted a similar version in my head, but was happy when I was flipping through pie books the other day and found this one. It just makes things so much easier (especially because "Elizabeth's Pie" is so much easier to say than "Straspbarbappleberry Pie").

As far as the crust goes I'm not sure I'm a fan. It was my first oil crust and for many reasons, I'm willing to give it another shot: it was very easy to work with, it was much flakier than I expected, but I didn't like the taste--though, you should note that I was the only one who was bothered by the taste. Maybe I'm a little too in love with all things produced by butter...especially butter crusts.

But I digress. This pie is a winner.
But don't ask me, try it yourself.
Unless you can find a pie judge from the Iowa state fair...ask them.
You know what they say about the mouths of two or three witnesses.

Elizabeth's Pie
The Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil (Wesson)
1/4 cup cold whole or reduced-fat (2%) milk

The Filling:
1 cup Sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 Table Spoons quick-cooking tapioca
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup honey
1 cup peeled, cored and diced tart apple (Jonathon or Red Rome; Granny Smith is good too)
1 cup fresh red raspberries
1 cup huled and sliced fresh strawberries
1 cup diced fresh rhubarb stalks
2 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

The Glaze: 
Sugar
Milk or light cream
DIRECTIONS:

Note: The crust should be rolled out right after it is compiled and shouldn't be refrigerated so compile the filling ingredients before starting on the crust.

Combine the flour, sugar, and tapioca in a large bowl and mix well to combine. Add the berries, rhubarb, apple chunks, honey and mix gently but thoroughly. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 375.

Prepare the crust by combining the flour and salt in a large bowl.  Measure the oil and milk into the same glass measuring cup, but do not stir.  Add to the flour and mix briskly to combine.  The dough will pull together into a ball.

Divide the dough in half, making one half - for the bottom pastry - a little larger than the other.  Wrap the smaller half in plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature.

Put the larger half of the pastry between 2 sheets of unfloured waxed paper. Using your rolling pin, roll the pastry into a 12-inch circle (by the way, it will have to be REALLY thin to be 12 inches). Peel off the top sheet of paper. Invert the pastry over a 9-inch standard pie pan, center, and peel off the paper. Gently tuck the pastry into the pan, without stretching or tearing it, and let the overhang drape over the edge. Using the same sheets of waxed paper, roll the other half of the dough into a 10-inch circle. Remove the top sheet of paper.

Scrape the filling into the pie shell, smoothing the fruit with a spoon. Dot the fruit with the butter. Dampen the edge of the pie shell with a pastry brush. Invert the top pastry over the filling, center, and slowly peel off the paper, pressing down along the edge to seal. sculpt the overhanging dough into an upstanding ridge. Sprinkle the top of the pie generelously with sugar, then drizzle with milk. Using a fork or parking knife, poke several steam vents in the top of the pie. Put at least one of them along the edge so you can check the juices there later.

Place the pie on the center oven rack and bake for 30 minutes, then rotate the pie 180 degrees, so that the part that faced the back of the oven now faces forward. Just in case, slide a large aluminum foil-lines baking sheet onto the rack below to catch any spills. Continue to bake until the top is a rich golden brown and any juices visible at the steam vents bubble thickly, 20 to 25 minutes.

Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool. Serve just barely warm or at room temperature