The sharpness of rhubarb and green apples contrasts well with the sweetness of strawberries. This strawberry, apple and rhubarb pie has a spicy crunch of oats and almonds in its crumble topping and is the perfect pie to share for Valentine’s day.

Strawberry, Apple and Rhubarb Crumble Pie:

Ingredients:

Pastry:

• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 egg
• 100 g butter
• 75g  sugar
• pinch of salt

( doubling this recipe will give you the pastry to make some small pies as I have done)

Filling:

• 4 Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled, cut into slices and then halved
• 250g strawberries, washed and hulled and halved (quarter if strawberries are large)
• 4 sticks of rhubarb, washed and cut into pieces
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 long strip of lemon rind

Crumble Topping:

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1/3 cup Self raising flour
• 1/3 cup Plain flour
• 3/4 cup firmly packed Light Brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 150 g Butter, chilled and grated
• Extra butter to dot the top of the pie

Method:

Pastry:

1. In a food processor, pulse the flour and salt for 5 seconds.
2. Add butter through the food tube and process for 10 seconds till the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Add the eggs through the food tube processing till a dough forms.
4. Wrap the dough in cling wrap and rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Filling:

1. In a heavy saucepan over a medium heat, add water and sugar and bring to the boil. Stir until dissolved.
2. Add the cinnamon stick and srip of lemon rind
3. Add the pieces of rhubarb. Bring to the boil and then lower to simmer and cook for 15 minutes until the rhubarb is soft
4. Add the strawberry pieces and cook for a further 10 minutes until the strawberries and rhubarb have cooked down and the liquid is nearly all evaporated
5. Remove the cinnamon stick and strip of lemon rind
6. Spoon the cooked fruit into a bowl, leaving any excess liquid in the pan
7. Set aside to cool

Crumble Topping:

1. Sift flours, cinnamon and nutmeg into a bowl
2. Stir through the brown sugar
3. Add the grated butter and using fingers rub the butter through the flour mixture till it resembles bread crumbs
4. Stir through the slivered almonds and rolled oats

Assembling the Pie:

1. Pre-heat oven to 200 C
2. Place the dough on baking paper and with a floured rolling pin, roll out into a circle.
3. Place the rolled dough onto the pie plate, cutting off the excess dough.
4. Prick the surface of the pastry all over taking care not to pierce the dough all the way through.
5. Make a decorative edge around the edge of the pie. (I have made mine by pressing the forefinger knuckle of the left hand all around the edge and then pinch and press with the thumb and forefinger of the right hand while pushing down on the indentation with the finger or knuckle of the left hand. Then I have pressed the end of a teaspoon handle into the hollow to give it definition)
6. In a bowl, place the chopped apple 2 tablespoons of white sugar and sprinkle with a little cinnamon. Stir through till the apple is well covered
7. Scatter 1/4 cup of white sugar onto the base of the pastry
8. Cover with the spiced apples
9. Spoon over the strawberry and rhubarb mixture
10. Scatter the prepared crumble topping over the apples
11. Dot with butter over the top of the crumble
12. Brush the pastry edge with milk
13. Place on the hot tray in the  preheated oven and bake for 10 mins
14. Lower the heat to 180º C and bake for a further 20 minutes till the crumble topping is well browned and the pastry edge is golden
15. Serve hot or cold with double cream, ice cream or custard