Favourite Deep-Dish Rhubarb-Strawberry Pie

Strawberry and rhubarb is the all-time perfect pie pairing. The rhubarb brings tart vegetable bite, the strawberries bring jammy sweetness, and together they balance into a filling that’s neither too sour nor too sweet. This deep-dish version bakes in an 8×8 baking dish instead of a pie plate, which gives more filling per slice and a higher fruit-to-crust ratio.

The spice profile is uncommon and worth keeping. A teaspoon of cinnamon and a half teaspoon of ground cloves add a warming, almost mulled-wine character to the fruit that you don’t usually find in rhubarb pies. Don’t reduce the cloves; their warmth is what makes this pie taste like an old-fashioned recipe rather than a modern bakery slice.

The 15-minute macerating rest after tossing the fruit with the sugar mixture isn’t optional. The sugar draws juice from the fruit, dissolves into syrup, and starts the thickening process with the flour before anything hits the oven.

Pro Tips

• Use the freshest, reddest rhubarb stalks you can find. Pale green rhubarb is tarter and less colourful; deep red rhubarb makes the prettier pie.
• Cold water and cold shortening are the keys to flaky pastry. Warm fat blends into the flour instead of forming the layers that flake apart in the oven.
• Don’t twist the pastry strips when weaving the lattice. A clean over-under lay holds shape and bakes up evenly.
• Brush the lattice with milk or cream and sprinkle with extra sugar before baking. The sugar crystallises into a sparkly, slightly crisp top.

Variations

• Swap half the strawberries for raspberries or blueberries for a different berry character.
• Add a tablespoon of grated orange or lemon zest to the filling for citrus brightness.
• Top with a crumble topping (flour, butter, brown sugar, oats) instead of a lattice for a more rustic version.