MAGGIE PIE

makes one 7” double crust pie

Pie Pastry
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
5 oz. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons non hydrogenated vegetable shortening, frozen, cut into pieces
¼ cup ice cold water + ½ teaspoon cider vinegar

Combine the cold water and vinegar in a liquid measuring cup and place in the freezer. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut in the cold butter and frozen shortening until the mixture has mostly pea-size chunks of butter/shortening. Remove the water/vinegar from the freezer and pour about half of it into the flour/butter mixture using your fingers or a fork to distribute the moisture. Add a bit more of the water until the dough becomes shaggy and just pinches together. Do not overmix. (You may not need all of the water.) Scrape the pastry onto a sheet of parchment paper, divide it in half and shape each half into a disc. Wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour before rolling. Roll out one disc on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper and gently fit it into a 7” pie plate. Turn the edges under and flute the crust. Roll out the second disc of pastry on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, into a 9” circle. Refrigerate the top and bottom crusts while you prepare the filling. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Filling
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (fresh raspberries are fragile- if using fresh, I mix ½ cup in with the cherries and rhubarb and sprinkle ½ cup over the filling just before adding the top crust)
1½ cups sweet dark cherries, pitted (fresh or frozen) 
1½ cups rhubarb, sliced ½” thick (about ½ pound)
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of ground cardamom
zest of 1 small orange
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

egg wash made of 1 egg white whisked together with 1 teaspoon water
granulated sugar for sprinkling top crust

In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated and brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, cardamom and orange zest. In a large bowl, combine the raspberries, cherries, rhubarb and orange juice.  Add the sugar/cornstarch/spice/zest mixture to the fruit, turning gently with a rubber spatula to coat. Pour the filling into the bottom crust, (if you reserved ½ cup of fresh raspberries, add them now) and gently drape the top crust over the filling. Seal, fold and flute the edges. Brush the top crust with the egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Cut vents in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Place the pie on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 15-20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees, rotate the pie, and bake for an additional 40-45 minutes, covering the edges with strips of aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning. The pie is ready when the juices bubble thickly around the edges and through the vents. Set on a wire rack to cool for at least 2 hours before serving.

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