- For Pastry
- 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 8 tbsp. (4 0z.) chilled, unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp. (or more) cold water
- For Filling
- 3 lbs. fresh rhubarb
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 3 tbsp. flour
- Grated peel of 1 lemon
- 1 egg
- Demarara sugar
- For Whipped Cream Garnish
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp. sour cream
- 2 tbsp. powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp. Raspberry Claret
To make pastry: Place flour, sugar and salt in bowl of food processor. Cut butter into small cubes and add to flour. Process, using on-off pulses, until mixture is granular, like oatmeal. Add 1 tbsp. water and process a couple of seconds. Add another tablespoon of water and pulse a few times. Feel the dough. It should feel damp enough to mass together. Add a few drops more water if necessary. Turn dough out and gather together into a ball. Wrap and chill while preparing rhubarb.
Preheat oven to 425o F.
To make filling: Wash and trim the rhubarb, removing both the leaves and base ends. Cut crosswise into 1/2″ slices and place in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour and grated lemon peel, and mix with the rhubarb, tossing well. Pile into a 1-1/2-quart baking dish (one that is approximately 1-1/2″ deep), mounding in the center.
On a floured work surface, roll out the dough into a round, approximately 2″ larger than the top of the baking dish. Beat the egg with 1 tbsp. water and brush edge of dish. Place the rolled out dough over the rhubarb. Trim dough if necessary, leaving about 1/2″ overhanging the dish. Fold the dough under and press onto the rim and down the sides a little to seal well. Cut 2 or 3 slashes in top of pastry, brush with beaten egg and sprinkle lightly all over with Demarara sugar.
Place on lower shelf of oven and bake 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350o F. and bake another 30-40 minutes, until bubbly and golden on top. If crust rim brown to much, cover rim with narrow strips of aluminum foil. Server slightly warm with raspberry cream.
To make raspberry cream: Combine the heavy cream and sour cream in a bowl. Beat until it begins to thicken. Add the powdered sugar and beat into soft folds. Do not beat stiff. Stir in the Raspberry Claret.
Serves 6-8
*This menu item was featured in the Easter Menus by Chuck Williams, owner of Williams-Sonoma retail stores and catalogs.
