An unattended spring garden in Vermont is full of surprises, mostly weedy ones. We returned from Italy and found that the comfrey, a perennial wild herb, whose leaves are said to cure athlete’s foot when tucked between toes and taped in place, was nearly three-feet tall and about to overwhelm the peonies. Lush, tall grass had moved into what were beds of flowers. The good news is that the rhubarb was thriving.
The tall rhubarb flowers led me to it and I harvested the rhubarb, removed the leaves and put the trimmed stalks into plastic bags and stored it in the fridge. I had enough to make four rhubarb treats in less than a week. First, I made a rhubarb custard pie with a recipe from a friend’s grandmother, then rhubarb syrup, followed by a rhubarb crumb cake seasoned with cardamom and topped with whipped cream to share with friends, and used the last of my first harvest to make baked rhubarb to add to a salad. It was my friend Cathy who generously served me my first piece of this pie. Here’s how I made it:
Print
Vermont Rhubarb Pie
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
Rhubarb in a custard filling – perfection.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (340 g) granulated sugar
- 4 tbsp (60 ml) plain flour
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) milk
- 1 tsp grated nutmeg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 4 cups (300g) rhubarb, sliced
- 1 9 inch (22cm) unbaked pie crust
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375º F (190º C)
- Combine sugar, flour, milk, nutmeg, vanilla and eggs in a mixing bowl.
- Add rhubarb.
- Spoon the fruit mixture into pie pan lined with an unbaked crust that extended two inches over the sides.
- Fold the extra pastry back onto filling to give the pie a rustic look and make a fancy latticework unnecessary.
- Bake for 70 minutes in a 190-degree C / 375-degree oven until the crust to brown and the custard to set.
Notes
- Lovely for breakfast if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 70 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 310
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- A Southern Table: Rhubarb And Blueberry Crisp
- Rhubarb and Strawberry Crisp
- Mini Strawberry-Rhubarb Galettes
- Homemade Mascarpone Ice Cream With Fresh Rhubarb Compote
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this pie bake for 70 minutes — much longer than most fruit pies?
This is a custard pie, not a standard fruit pie. The filling combines 3 eggs, 3 tbsp of milk, and 4 tbsp of flour with the sugar and rhubarb, and the long 70-minute bake at 375°F (190°C) is needed both to brown the crust and to fully set the egg-based custard so it doesn’t weep or stay runny in the center. 
Why is the extra pastry folded back over the filling rather than making a lattice top?
The recipe uses a single unbaked crust that extends 2 inches over the sides of the pan. Step 5 instructs you to fold that overhang back onto the filling for a rustic look that deliberately makes “a fancy latticework unnecessary” — it’s both easier and intentional.
Is this rhubarb pie good the next morning?
The notes say yes, explicitly: “Lovely for breakfast if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers.”
