Today is my parent’s 43rd wedding anniversary.

They are the most wonderful peas-in-a-pod, and yes, I know, I’m biased.

Forty-three years ago today they were getting married.  Mom, walking down the aisle to meet my dad, in a gown she made all by herself.  My dad calling her his “Julietta”.  And just like it is in Rhode Island this time of year, it was hot.  It was sweaty.  It was perfect.

They’ve had forty-three years of memories made together, my mom and dad.  Forty-three years filled with making wonderful memories for my brother, Niko, and I.  Forty-three years of good times and bad, and yet just as much — if not more — silliness, laughter, and love.

They have shown me many things.  One of which, is what it’s like to truly love.  What it means to be truly married.

This pie is what my parents are like to me.

Strawberry and rhubarb.  Mom and Dad.  Two distinctly different people — one sweet, sassy, and bold, the other, just as sweet — but in a subtler kind of way — and just as deep.

Two individuals that could very well be perfectly lovely all by themselves, but married together, forming a beautiful, inspiring, delicious combination that couldn’t have been created by any other two.

Happy 43rd anniversary, Mom and Pops!

This pie is for you.

It all starts with mixing all those wonderful ingredients for the crust.  Butter, almond meal, brown sugar, oh my!

Pulsing a few times ’til mixture resembles coarse meal.

Slowly adding the milk, a little at a time, ’til things start to come together!  Go dough!

Making two balls, wrapping them all nice and snug, and letting them hang in the fridge to cool their jets for a while…

Next, making all that yummy filling!  And it all starts with strawberries, luscious, strawberries.

But we mustn’t forget the rhubarb.  Hello, rhubarb!

Throwing these two together with some sugar, some lime zest, and all that’s nice…

Folding all gentle-like, and you’ve just captured summer in a bowl.

Then getting ready to roll!  Rolling the pie dough, that is.

Roll, roll, rolling the dough…

Transferring that rolled-out bottom crust to your eagerly awaiting pie plate…

Filling it with all that summery goodness…

Tucking all that sweet strawberry and rhubarb in…

Cutting in some pretty slits — the bigger, the better…

Lastly, brushing that wash on top to make things all nice and golden…

Popping the pie in the oven to bake for a while…

And in about an hour — plus a little more time to cool — you’ve got love on a plate.  What could be more delicious.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie (or Mom and Dad Pie)

Recipe by Christina Lazarakis of Small Kitchen Chronicles

Makes one 9-inch pie

For the Crust:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus a bit extra for rolling)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup almond meal
2 sticks very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
6 to 8 tablespoons milk, very cold
1 egg yolk beaten and blended with 1 tablespoon milk (for wash)

For the Filling:

4 pints of strawberries, washed, hulled, and halved
2 cups – 1/2-inch-thick cut slices of washed, peeled rhubarb
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon lime zest
1/4 teaspoon salt

Start with making the crust.  In a food processor, combine both whole wheat and all-purpose flours, almond meal, butter, salt, and brown sugar.  Pulse 5 to 7 times, or until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

Next, add the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture just starts to clump together, being careful not to over-mix.  Dough should be slightly tacky to the touch.

Remove dough from the machine with your hands and shape into two balls — one of the two should be about 1/3 larger, which we’ll use for the top crust. Wrap both dough balls in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

In the meantime, begin making the filling.  Using a large spoon, combine the strawberries, rhubarb, turbinado sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, lime zest, and salt in a large bowl.  Fold gently until mixture is combined thoroughly.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the small dough ball from the refrigerator and unwrap.  Dust clean counter generously with flour, place dough ball in center, dust ball with flour, and with a floured rolling-pin, roll out the ball into a 13-inch circle.

Note:  Always role from the center out to the edge, rotating the dough about a quarter turn each time to give you an even circle and to prevent dough from sticking to counter.  Also, dust with just enough flour to prevent things from sticking.  Too much flour will toughen the dough.

Transfer your dough to a 9-inch pie plate and line with the rolled-out dough.

Spoon filling into pie plate and set aside.

Now, remove the large dough ball from refrigerator and unwrap.  Dust counter generously again with more flour, place dough ball in center, and with your floured rolling-pin, roll out the ball into a 15-inch circle, just like you did with your first ball.

Place top crust over top of filling and fold overhanging dough under itself.  Press gently to seal.  Scallop the edges, using your fingers, to create a decorative edge.

Make several slits in the top crust with paring knife to allow steam to escape while baking (as shown in pictures above).  This is a super important step — the larger the slits, the better.

Using a pastry brush, brush top of pie with your prepared egg-milk wash.

Place pie on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake for another 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling bubbly.

Note:  Be sure to watch the pie, and if top begins to brown too quickly during baking, tent with aluminum foil for the remainder of its time in the oven.

Very carefully remove pie from oven — filling will drip! — and transfer to rack and cool completely before serving.  Serve by itself or with vanilla ice cream.

Place covered in the fridge to store.  Pie lasts up to 3 or 4 days.

Enjoy!

Related articles

• Classic Recipe: Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipes from The Kitchn (thekitchn.com)
• Eat This Now: Rhubarb (news.health.com)