"Janet got her passport" pie

AKA Strawberry Rhubarb pie with a cream cheese crust



Cream cheese pie crust
For a bottom and top crust (or lattice crust). If you only need a bottom crust, then cut this in half.

Whisk together:
2cups, plus 4 tbsp flour
2tbsp sugar
1/2tsp salt

Cut into 1/4 inch pieces and add:
1&1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter
6 ounces cream cheese

using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the butter and cream cheese into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs with some pea sized pieces.

Drizzle over the top:
4 to 6 tbsp cold heavy cream

Stir with a fork till the dough begins to gather into moist clumps. Press the dough into two flat disks, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Roll out the bottom crust and line your greased pie tin with it.

Pie filling:
Measure out 5 cups of fruit
2&1/2 cups of rhubarb, unpeeled and cut into 1 inch lengths
2&1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and halved lengthwise
Combine with:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
let stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour into the bottom crust and dot with 2tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces. Add the top crust and cut vent holes, or add a lattice top.

Lightly brush the top of the pie with milk or cream and sprinkle with 2tsp sugar.

Bake at 425f for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350f and slip a baking sheet under the pie. Bake for 25-35 minutes more till juices are bubbling through the vents. Let it cool completely before serving.

I just recently saw the movie ”Waitress”. It was cute, I enjoyed it. The main character had this habit of giving the pies she made, names. The names had more to do with what was going on in her life, then the actual pie, like there was a ham and brie cheese pie with egg called the “I don’t want to have Earl’s baby” pie. I got a kick out of that, so in honor of the movie, I’m calling this the “Janet got her passport pie” Because I made it for my sister-in-law who is visiting us for the first time ever.

This was really easy to make. Any crust will do and be good, but the cream cheese crust is extra nice because the slight tang of cream cheese works well with the super sweetness of the strawberries. It’s also got a great texture.

The cornstarch and the letting it cool all the way are really important because that’s what gives the filling the almost gel-like quality that stops it from running all over the plate.

This was really good, and it’s a good pie to make for guests because it has to be made in advance anyway, and it looks so pretty.

Here's the boys picking the strawberries for the pie...