RHUBARB MERINGUE PIE
Ingredients
- 400g/14oz plain flour
- 250g/9oz cold butter
- cut into cubes
- 100g/3½oz icing sugar
- 1 heaped tsp ground ginger
- 2 free-range eggs
- lightly beaten
- 2kg/4lb 8oz rhubarb
- 225g/8oz caster sugar
- 2 oranges
- zest only
- 8 free-range eggs whites
- 400g/14oz golden caster sugar
- 4 tsp cornflour
Directions
- Grease a 30cm/12in loose-bottomed tart tin.
- To make the pastry
- sift the flour into a large bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the icing sugar and ground ginger
- mix thoroughly then add the beaten eggs and just enough cold water to form a dough.
- Turn the dough onto a floured board
- knead gently into a smooth ball then roll the pastry out and use it to line the tart tin. Prick the base with a fork
- line with foil and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile
- make the filling. Preheat the oven to to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Cut the rhubarb into 5cm/2in lengths and place in an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with the sugar and orange zest then cook
- uncovered
- in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until the rhubarb is just tender but still holding its shape. Increase oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
- Add baking beans to the tart case and bake blind for 15 minutes
- then remove the foil and the beans and return the tin to the oven for about eight minutes or until pale golden-brown. Remove the tin from the oven and increase the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 .
- For the meringue
- place the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk until they form soft peaks. Gradually add half the sugar
- whisking all the time
- then fold in the cornflour and remaining sugar and whisk until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- To assemble the pie
- fill the tart case with the rhubarb
- standing the pieces on end. Pile most of the meringue on top of the pie
- keeping enough back to then pipe pointy peaks over the surface. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes
- or until the top is crispy and very pale gold. Allow the pie to cool before removing it from the tin.

