Recipe Anne Dimock's Rhubarb Pie

In this pie, there are no strawberries to do the rhubarb proud. Anne Dimock's simple filling formula calls for 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon flour for every cup of sliced ​​rhubarb, plus a bit of cinnamon, an unlikely accent that brings out the rhubarb's fire. Her golden pie crust ratio is 3:1 flour to fat—feel free to adjust the filling and crust up or down depending on the size of your pan.

Adapted from Humble Pie: Musings on What Lies Beneath the Crust (Andrews McMeel, 2005) with additional notes from The Essential New York Times Cookbook (Norton, 2010). — Genius Recipes

INGRÉDIENTSCrust

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2/3 cup vegetable shortening (Dimock uses non-hydrogenated brands like Spectrum or Earth Balance, but use another fat like butter or lard if you prefer)
• 6 tablespoons (or more) ice water

Filling

• 5 cups sliced ​​rhubarb
• 1 1/4 cups sugar​
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 pinches ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter salted (optional)

PRÉPARATIONThe Crust

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Before measuring the flour, stir it to proof, then measure 2 cups. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt and fluff with a fork. Cut the shortening into the flour mixture with a fork or pastry blender. Stop as soon as the shine of the shortening disappears and the mixture is a pile of large lumps. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water at a time over the dough, lifting and fluffing it with the fork. When it begins to come together, gather the dough, press it into a ball, and pull it apart; if it crumbles in your hands, it needs more water. (It's better to err on the side of too wet than too dry.) Add 1 to 2 teaspoons more water, if needed. Gather the dough into 2 slightly uneven balls, the larger one for the bottom crust and the smaller one for the top crust. Flatten the larger ball, reforming any frayed edges with the sides of your hand. Dust with flour and roll out the dough from the center to the edges. Take a knife or thin spatula and quickly work its edge between the crust and the work surface. Lift the dough sideways; dust both the dough and the work surface with flour. Reroll until the diameter is 1 to 2 inches larger than the pie plate. Rest the rolling pin a third of the way up one of the edges. Roll the crust onto the rolling pin, then unroll the crust into a 9-inch pie plate and fit it into place. Place in the freezer while you prepare the filling.

Prepare the Filling

1. In a large bowl, combine the rhubarb, sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Pour into the crust-lined pie pan. Dot with butter, if using.
2. Roll out the top crust. Dab the edge of the bottom crust with water to create a seal. Place the top crust over the rhubarb; trim, seal, and cut several slits. Bake for 15 minutes; reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until a little pink juice squirts from the slits in the crust.