Making a strawberry rhubarb pie should be easy. You chop up your fruit (though I should point out that rhubarb is technically a vegetable), toss it with sugar and your thickener of choice, encase it in pie dough, and bake until bubbling and golden brown.

The only problem? Strawberries and rhubarb both have low pectin levels and a lot of moisture—a recipe for a watery, mushy mess, especially if you don’t use the right kind and amount of thickener. There are also questions of how best to handle the fillings. The key is learning to make the recipe- follow the steps below and feel free to modify as it seems fit.

How to make Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Ingredients

• 1 lb. fresh rhubarb (leaves removed, trimmed, washed, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 lb. strawberries (diced)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup corn starch
• ½ lemon (juice and zest)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 pie crusts (9-inch pre-made crusts, room temperature)
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp milk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Gather and prepare all ingredients.
2. In a large bowl, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch, lemon juice, zest, vanilla, and salt. Gently fold together and set aside.
3. Roll out one pie crust, larger than the 9-inch pie pan, and place it on the bottom of the pie pan, pressing the bottom and sides. You want the excess pie crust to be hanging over.
4. Pour the filling onto the pie crust and evenly top with butter pieces.
5. Roll out the second pie crust and place on top, pinching the edges with the bottom crust to seal. Crimp the pie crust into decorative edges.
6. Cut slits in the top pie crust to vent during the baking process. Brush with milk.
7. With 3-inch strips of aluminum foil, line the edges of the pie to prevent burning.
8. Place the pie on an oven-safe tray and place it in the oven. Bake for 30-45 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and cook an additional 25-30 minutes until the crust is golden. Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool before cutting.