Ah yes you history and food lovers, you can have your pie and eat it too. Rhubarb was very often referred to as Pie Plant. Why? Well, of course because back years ago it was always put in pies and it was one of the first fresh fruits available after a long winter of preserved foods. Pioneers often had flour left from the winter but little else. In fact I believe there is a mention of Laura making a rhubarb pie in the Little House series. But (there is always a ‘but’) rhubarb is a vegetable and not a fruit. Well except in the United States. Where else can a government change a vegetable to a fruit but here! Since most people used rhubarb as a fruit, the courts in New York declared rhubarb a fruit in 1947 for purposes of regulations and duties. This reduced the tariffs on imported rhubarb and tariffs were lower for fruits than vegetables. Now you know. Rhubarb is nutritious and low in calories as most vegetables are. One cup has 26 calories! It is high in vitamin C and a good source of potassium and fiber. So now this yummy recipe. It is composed of a top and bottom crumble and a thick gooey, rhubarb center. It is good and doesn’t last long in my house. I hope you love it and smile as your kids eat it and you secretly know you are getting vegetables in them as they eat!
Filling
4 cups diced rhubarb
1 ¼ cup sugar
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons corn starch
1-teaspoon vanilla
Crust
1 ½ cup oatmeal
1-cup butter
1 ½ cup flour
1-cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
*1/2 cup chopped nuts – optional
Combine all the filling ingredients in a pan and cook until thick. Be sure to stir frequently. Cook about 5 minutes or until quite thick. Remove the pan from heat.
In large bowl combine the crust ingredients. Work with a fork or pastry tool to combine the ingredients until it produces an even crumble.
Butter and flour a 9 x 13 pan. Pat ¾ of the crumb mixture in the pan. Top with filling that is still warm. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture of top of the filling evenly and bake in a 375˚ oven for 30 – 35 minutes.
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