Southern Rhubarb Pie

Pastry for 9-inch

double-crust pie
1 cup sugar
4 Tbsp. flour
Pinch of salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
4 cups chopped rhubarb, cut into 1-inch lengths (approx. 1 1/4 lbs.), plus more as needed
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces and chilled

Heat the oven to 450°F. Line a 9-inch pie pan with crust, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Refrigerate the top crust until needed. In a small bowl, mix sugar, flour salt, nutmeg and lemon rind. Sprinkle one-third of this mixture on the bottom of the piecrust. Add enough 1-inch lengths of rhubarb to make a good deep pile. Sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture and butter.

Top with gashed crust. Bake at 450°F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F, and continue baking until pastry is browned and bubbling pink juices escape from the slits in the top crust, about 40-50 minutes.

Yield: 1 pie