Apple & Rhubarb Pie

So I have never cooked with rhubarb - up until now!  That's right, I don't muck around... my first ever rhubarb recipe is going on my blog!!  I made the pie filling on one day so that it was refrigerated for when I was ready to make the pastry for the pie the next day.  I'm quite proud of my effort really - and the pie is delicious!

Ingredients:
Filling:
1/2 bunch rhubarb, diced
3 apples, cored, peeled and diced
1/2 cup raw sugar
1 orange, juiced and zested
1/2 vanilla bean, cut in half

Pastry:
2 cups light spelt flour
1/4 cup icing sugar
50g butter, cubed
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup water

Extra raw sugar to sprinkle on top of pie

Method:
1.  To make the filling, I added all the ingredients to a saucepan and simmered on low heat, stirring occasionally.  I did this until the rhubarb had broken down and the apple was soft.  This took about 10 minutes.  (I would've done this in the Thermomix, except Thermie was busy at the time cooking something else!  To do this step in Thermie, add all ingredients to the Thermie bowl and cook 10min/90deg/rev+sp1).  Remove the vanilla bean.  Set the filling aside to cool completely or if not using the same day, refrigerate until ready to make the pie.

2.  Preheat oven to 200 degrees and grease a pie dish with butter.   

3.  To make the pastry, I did this in the Thermomix - add flour, icing sugar, butter and salt to the bowl and mix 10sec/sp6.  Add water and mix another 5sec/sp6.  Then knead for 30 seconds on interval setting. Remove pastry from Thermie and separate pastry into 2 bowls - 1/3 of the pastry into one bowl and the remainder into the other bowl.  Cover and refrigerate for around 15 minutes.

To make the pastry without the Thermomix - add flour, icing sugar, butter and salt to a food processor.  Process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Add the water and process again to combine.  Turn out the pastry and knead until smooth.  Separate out into 2 bowls - 1/3 in one bowl and 2/3 in the other.  Cover and refrigerate for around 15 minutes.

4.  Remove the larger portion of pastry from the fridge and roll out in between 2 sheets of baking paper until it is big enough to cover and base and sides of the pie dish.  Transfer the pastry to the pie dish.  Prick the base and sides and blind bake for around 10 minutes.

5.  Turn down the oven to 180 degrees.  Fill the pastry shell with the cooled pie filling.

6.  Roll out the remaining pastry and cut into 2cm wide strips.  Arrange on top of the pie in a criss-cross pattern and sprinkle the top of the pie with extra raw sugar.

7.  Bake the pie for around 15 minutes or until the pastry on top is cooked through and golden.