Rhubarb Pie

I'll just be honest...
Pies scare me.
I dread making them.
I am not very good at it.
I don't really like pie.
The crust thing is intimidating.
I'd much rather whip up a batch of cookies than a pie.

BUT,
my family likes pie,
I like a challenge,
and so I continue to try.
picture strategically taken so you cannot see the flaws :)

The Filling
3 cups diced rhubarb (I used a little more, maybe closer to 3 1/2 - 4)
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 T flour, rounded
1 LG egg
*Beat egg. Mix well with sugar and flour. The mixture will be thick. Spoon over rhubarb and mix well. Put in unbaked pie shell. Cover with a crumb mixture* or top crust. Bake @ 425* for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350* and bake for 25 - 35 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the rhubarb is soft.

The Crust: You have two options.
1. No roll pat in crust, my favorite, can we say, EASY!
1 1/2 cups flour
2 T sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 T milk
1/2 cup oil
*Mix together until it forms a ball. Pat into an ungreased pie pan. Top with a crumb topping mixture.
Crumb Topping
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
*Combine sugar and flour. Cut in butter to make crumbs. Sprinkle on top of pie before baking. Cover with tin foil if it is browning too quickly.

2. Flaky Roll out crust.
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup very cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water (I measure out water and add ice chunks)

1. Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening. The mixture should form small even crumbs.
   
2. Cut the cold butter in leaving pea sized or larger chunks of butter.
   
3. Add ice cold water 2 T at a time. Tossing with a fork to moisten dough evenly. You've added enough water when a chunk of dough, squeezed in your hand sticks together easily. You should see visible fat chunks. Don't over mix.
   
4. Divide the dough in half. Form into two balls, flatten to one inch thickness. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30+ minutes.
   
5. Unwrap dough and roll out on a floured surface. Roll the dough approx 3-4 inches larger than the inside diameter of your pie crust. Roll from the center outward with as few of rolls as possible.
6. Press into pie pan. Fill with filling. Bake as recipe directs.
   

With our extra dough, we like to make mini pastries. Cut dough with cookie cutters, sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar and bake at 415* for 8 - 12 minutes or until crispy.