Rhubard and strawberry Pie-

Rhubarb or "pie plant" is sold in a bunch or by weight. One pound about 3-5 stalks depending on the sizes.  Pick the fresh, crisp stalks. Before use, trim ends and discard leaves but no need to peel thick stringy skin. Wash and cut into small pieces 1/4-1/2 inch long.  Rhubarb is extremely tartness, add more sugar if more rhubarb is used. Agar powder helps thickening and gives a nice body to the juicy liquid.

Make one 9-inch pie
   One 2-crust pie recipe
   4 cups chopped rhubarb (about 1 lb)
   10 oz  strawberry, quarter if large, half if small (about 2 cups)
   1 cup sugar
   1/4 cup tapioca or cornstarch
   1/4 tsp salt
   1 tsp agar powder mixed in 1 Tbs of orange juice or water (optional)
   2 Tbs unsalted butter
   1 large egg yolk lightly beaten for glaze
   1 Tbs sanding sugar or sugar for sprinkling (optional)

1. Mix  flour, sugar and salt together in a large mixing bowl and toss in rhubarb,strawberry, and agar mixture if use.  Pour the mixture into a 9-inch pie crust. Dot with butter.  Cover with the lattice crust.  Refrigerate 30 minutes. Brush with egg yolk and sprinkle sugar.  Put the pie pan on a rimmed baking sheet.
2.  Bake in preheated oven 425 oF on the lowest rack about 20 minutes.  Turn the temp down to 375 oF. Continue baking until vigorously bubble, rhubarb is tender, and pie crust is golden brown about 45-50 minutes. Cover the rim/top if it is browning too quickly.
3. Transfer the pie to the wire rack and cool for at least 2 hours.  Store leftover pie in the fridge and warm it up in toaster oven. 

Pie shells:

  2.5 cups all purpose flour
  2 sticks (1 cup/8oz) cold, unsalted butter, cut in 1/2 in pieces
  1 Tbs sugar
  1 tsp salt
  1/3 to 2/3 cup Ice cold water

1. Put all ingredients into a food processor except water.  Pulse until the mixture resembles like coarse meal about 10 seconds.  Sprinkle 1/3 cup water evenly over the flour.  Pulse a few times.  The dough should hold together between fingers and should not look sticky wet but it should not too crumble either.  Add more water by 1 table at a time if needed. 
2. Shape the dough into two flat balls (about 1/2 in thick) and wrap in plastic bag/wrap.  Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight. 
3. Roll each ball into a round thin disk ( about 12-inch diameter) on a lightly floured surface or between 2 layers of plastic/or wax/ or parchment paper.  Transfer the dough into a 9-inch pie pan by rolling it over the roller or fold it in quarters.  Refrigerate it while making the 2o disk.
4. Roll the second ball into a flat dish which is slightly larger than the pie pan diameter.  Cut into 1/2-inch strips with a pizza cutter or a knife, or a fluted pastry cutter.
5. Pour filling into the pastry lined pie pan, dot with butter.  Arrange a half of the strips over the filling in a direction and 1/2 inch apart.  Fold back every other strips in half. Lay a long strip at the center of the pie at 90 o to other strips.  Repeat folding and unfolding strips to weave a lattice pattern.  Repeat on the other side of the pie.  
6. Trim the top and bottom crusts 1/2 to 1 inch overhang with kitchen shears and press together to seal around the edge. Fold the edges under and crimp as desired.  If your pie pan has a flat rim, you can trim the dough flush to the edge and use excess dough to roll into a rope and press it gently around the pie edge and crimp as desired.  Put the pie pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch juices.