A perfect pie for strawberry season in North Carolina

Around the time of the Strawberry moon, when strawberries and rhubarb are their freshest, my friend Danielle usually makes her classic Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie.

• She did it again this week, and, oh man, was it delicious. It's easily one of my favorite desserts, melding the sweet and bitter flavors of strawberry and rhubarb perfectly.

I asked Danielle if I could share her recipe so that you, dear readers, could also enjoy it. She said of course.

Filling:

The ingredients

• About 1 pound (2 3/4ish cups) cut strawberries
• About 1 pound chopped red rhubarb (3ish cups, or about 3-4 large stalks)
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 tbsp flour
• 2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extra
• 4 tbsp (half-stick) butter, cubed
• Egg white wash
• Pie crusts

Baking instructions:

• Preheat oven to 425°F
• Make (or buy) your crust. If making, chill for at least 30 minutes (longer is better) before rolling out and putting it in your pie pan.
• Wash and cut rhubarb and strawberries into about quarter-inch size pieces.

• Mix strawberries, rhubarb, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, flour, tapioca, cinnamon, and vanilla extract in large bowl. Let sit ~15-30 minutes.
• Pour into pie crust. Dot with cubed butter.
• Make a lattice top if desired (not necessary). Crimp top and bottom pie crusts together to seal.
• Brush egg white wash over pie crust.
• Put foil collar around edges. Bake at 475° for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature and bake at 375°for 45-50 minutes, until filling starts bubbling in middle.
• Cool before serving.