Serves 12 to 15
COME SPRING, WE’VE GOT RHUBARB COMING OUT OF OUR EARS IN THE MIDWEST. It’s exciting at first, but then rhubarb can quickly become a whole lot like a restless toddler—it’s suddenly everywhere, in everyone’s yard—did you even know you had a patch back there behind the garage?—and everyone’s trying to hand it off to someone else.
But then, also just like the unruliest of toddlers, rhubarb is wildly vibrant and crazy-beautiful and even fun, when you can think of something new to do with it. And before you know it, you’re saying to yourself, Hey, maybe I should plant another rhubarb patch, to keep this other rhubarb company? And then nine months later, you’ve got your hands full of rhubarb to a degree you never thought was possible and you’re like, Maybe this extra rhubarb patch wasn’t such a good idea after all. Am I right?
Anyway, if you’re looking for a crowd-pleaser using a whopping 2½ pounds/1.2 kg of rhubarb in one go, here’s your savior. It’s like a nanny, for rhubarb.
1 double batch My Favorite Pie Crust (here)
Nonstick cooking spray for pan
All-purpose flour for dusting
2⅓ cups/466 g granulated sugar
⅔ cup/85 g unbleached all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
2½ pounds/1.2 kg rimmed rhubarb, cut into ½-inch pieces (about 10 cups)
1½ tablespoons peach schnapps
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon water
Pinch of fine sea salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch/6 mm cubes, chilled
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Prepare the crust: Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces, and pat each portion into a rectangle. Wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat it to 375°F/190°C. Spray a 9 × 13-inch/23 × 33 cm glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and flour. Transfer ½ cup/80 g of the mixture to a small bowl to be your “crust dust” and set aside. To the remaining flour mixture in the large bowl, add the rhubarb, peach schnapps, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss to blend well and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small cup, whisk together the egg, water, and salt until liquefied.
Next, shape your crust layers: Lightly dust a work surface and rolling pin with flour. Have ready a baking sheet and 2 large sheets of parchment paper. Working with 1 portion of dough at a time, roll each into a rough 9 × 13-inch/23 × 33 cm rectangle—use your baking dish as a template to see exactly how large each layer should be to fit nicely in the pan. Place 2 of the layers on the baking sheet, separated by parchment paper, and place in the refrigerator or freezer. Place the remaining layer of dough in the bottom of the prepared pan. Prick all over with a fork and brush lightly with the egg wash. Bake until slightly firm and just beginning to turn golden at the edges, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F/200°C.
Spread half of the reserved crust dust mixture over the baked crust. Top with half of the rhubarb filling, smoothing evenly. Sprinkle half of the chilled butter bits over the filling. Top with a second sheet of dough. Prick the dough all over with a fork and brush lightly with egg wash. Bake until the surface is firm and just turning golden in spots, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven.
Repeat the process of layering the crust dust, then the rhubarb filling, and the remaining butter bits. Place the third sheet of dough on top. Prick with a fork once more, brush with egg wash, and shower the top crust with the granulated sugar. Bake a final time until deeply golden and the filling is bubbling, about 40 minutes. Let cool in the pan set over a wire rack for at least an hour before serving.