Recipe: Hanging-Crust Rhubarb or Blueberry-Blackberry Cobbler

HANGING-CRUST RHUBARB COBBLER

"First rhubarb of spring is one of the season's best treats; its ever-agreeable tartness suits the rich pastry crust of this Ozark cobbler, made in the manner of my mother and grandmother. Really, it's just a deep-dish pie, except that the ragged edges of the crust are folded over the filling-thus the "hanging" crust.

Serve the cobbler warm, about an hour after removing it from the oven, with vanilla ice cream. Note that this crust is designed to be very rich and tender, which, unfortunately, makes it somewhat delicate and difficult to handle. Don't fret, though: just patch it if it tears, and, by all means, don't worry about cosmetics."

FOR THE FILLING:
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups (about 2 pounds) rhubarb, cut into 3/4-inch bits

FOR THE CRUST:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
5 tablespoons ice water, more or less
Sugar for sprinkling, optional

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

TO PREPARE THE FILLING:
Combine the sugar and flour in a large bowl. Add the rhubarb and toss well. Set aside.

TO PREPARE THE CRUST:
Combine the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter until the largest remaining bits of shortening are about pea-sized. Slowly sprinkle the water over the mixture while stirring with a fork just until the dough is moistened and clumps together. It should hold together when pressed.

Pat the dough into a flat square. Roll it out on a floured work surface (or lightly floured piece of wax paper) until not only is it large enough to come all the way up the sides of an 8-inch square glass baking dish, but there's even a bit more dough than necessary so that the edges can be folded over the top of the cobbler.

TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE:
Carefully fit the crust into the baking dish. Add the rhubarb, spreading it evenly, then fold the edges of the crust over the rhubarb. There may be a bit too much crust in the corners when you fold them but you can remove a bit of the dough here and there and put it right on top of the filling, along with any other dough scraps.

If you wish for a nice crunchy-sugary top crust, brush the top crust with water and sprinkle it with sugar.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until the crust is nicely browned and the filling is bubbly. Cool the cobbler on a rack.

VARIATION:

HANGING-CRUST BLUEBERRY-BLACKBERRY COBBER:
Substitute 4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries and 2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries for the rhubarb. Reduce the sugar to 1 1/3 cups, and add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of salt to the flour-sugar mixture. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice over the berries and toss them briefly, then toss with the sugar-flour mixture.

Makes one 8-inch square cobbler; serves 8 to 10
Source: Desserts That Have Killed Better Men Than Me by Jeremy Jackson