Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb...

I snatched up a few cheap bunches of lovely organic rhubarb at a local market recently; since then I have been experimenting with all manner of combos and recipes.  On visiting a friend at their work - in - progress farm they too gave me some fresh rhubarb from their garden, after I took round a peach and rhubarb pie I'd made that morning.

My father in law delivered another few trays of the mega peaches from the family Batlow orchard.  So I got inspired to make another pie.

Strawberry peach and rhubarb pie with vanilla spiked cream.

Ingredients:

(Pastry)
250g plain flour
125g unsalted butter
2 tbs caster sugar (optional)
1tbs chilled water
1 egg

(Filling)
Big bunch of rhubarb (approx 10 stalks)
Punnet strawberries
2 large peaches
2 vanilla pods, scraped clean
3 tbs brown sugar (optional)

(Cream)

200g thickened cream
seed scrapings from 2 vanilla pods
1 tbs brown sugar (optional)

Method:

In a food processor, blend flour with a pinch of salt (and sugar if you like a sweeter pastry) then process chopped butter until it resembles breadcrumbs.  Whisk egg and water together, then add to flour mixture and process until it starts coming together.  Turn out on a flat surface and knead together, form into a rough disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least a few hours.  Divide into two portions, roll out one portion to cover the bottom of a greased pie dish.

Wash, trim and chop rhubarb into 2cm portions, fry in large non stick pan with a knob of butter until it just starts to soften.  Add chopped peaches and strawberries, vanilla pods and sugar, cook until all fruits are soft.  Be careful to not let the fruit catch on the bottom of the pan!  Taste and add sugar if needed.  I like to let the flavours of the fruit speak for itself, so less sugar is always better in my opinion.

Pour fruit mixture into pastry case.  Roll out other portion of pastry and cover pie, trimming excess pastry from the edges.  Press edges to enclose the pie and chill in fridge for 30 minutes.  Brush with a little egg whisked with milk.

Place onto a baking tray and into a preheated 180C oven; bake for approx 45 minutes or until browned on top.  Whip cream with sugar and vanilla; serve with the pie.