Rhubarb meringue pie
This is a pie of sumptuous contrasts. It works warm or cold. If you don't want to make the pastry it's perfectly good as a pudding: put the rhubarb in a small baking dish and top with the meringue. You could add a little ginger in with the rhubarb too.
Ingredients
for the pastry
- 25g toasted hazelnuts
- 200g plain flour
- 115g cold unsalted butter, diced
- 30g caster sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp cold water
- 1 egg yolk for brushing
for the filling
- 600g rhubarb, cut into 3cm pieces
- 200g caster sugar
- zest of 2 oranges
- splash grenadine (optional)
- juice of 1 orange
- 2 tbsp cornflour
for the meringue
- 3 egg whites
- 180g caster sugar
Method
Make the pastry
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Step 1
In a food processor, blitz the hazelnuts to a fine crumb. Add the flour, butter, sugar, 1 egg yolk and water and blitz until a dough is formed. Roll out the pastry on a floured work surface and line a 23cm deep-fluted flan dish. Prick the base with a fork. Cover with cling film and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 180°C/Gas 4.
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Step 2
Remove from the fridge and line with baking parchment and ceramic baking beans or uncooked rice. Place on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper or foil, brush the pastry with egg yolk and bake for another 5-10 minutes (don't let it brown).
Make the filling
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Step 1
Put the rhubarb, sugar, orange zest (and grenadine, if you have it) in a large saucepan. Cover and cook until the rhubarb is just tender (about 5 minutes or so, depending on the thickness of the rhubarb). Remove from the heat.
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Step 2
In small bowl, blend the orange juice and cornflour. Stir into cooked rhubarb. Place back on the heat and bring back to a gentle boil, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Allow to cool slightly then pour into the pastry case. Spread out the mixture evenly.
For the meringue
-
Step 1
In large bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually whisk in the sugar, a little at a time. Spoon the meringue over the rhubarb, making sure to cover the rhubarb completely. Bake for 25 minutes, until the meringue is golden.
