Rhubarb Pie

Put 1½ cups sifted flour and the salt into a 2-quart bowl, add the chilled lard, and mix well with a pastry blender or with fingertips. This blend will not be as dry as a butter-mixed pastry.

When well blended add all of the water and mix until the water is all absorbed. This will make the dough a bit sticky. Sprinkle over lightly with 2 teaspoons of flour and roll into a ball. Leave to rest in a cool place for about 15 minutes.

Separate the dough into two unequal pieces.

Roll out the larger piece and place it into a 9-inch pie pan. Roll out the smaller piece and cut it into ¾-inch strips to form a latticework top crust.

Place the strips upon a sheet of wax paper and place it, along with the pastry-lined pie plate, into the refrigerator until needed.

When ready to prepare the filling, remove pastry from refrigerator.

Mix together well the sugar, nutmeg, and cornstarch. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the sugar mixture over bottom of pastry.

Mix the rest into the rhubarb and fill the crust.

Place on strips in lattice fashion. Moisten rim of bottom crust to help lattice strips adhere to rim of bottom pastry.

Place the pie into a preheated 450° oven.

This high temperature is important in forming a crispy crust when using very juicy products. If the crust tends to brown too quickly, cut a ring of aluminum foil and place it over the rim of the pie. It is the rim that usually overbrowns. Remove the foil about 10 minutes before the pie is to be removed from the oven.

Total cooking time for the pie is 40 minutes.