Rustic Strawberry Rhubarb Tarts

I remember the day in early spring when grandma’s rhubarb was perfect for the picking.  Breaking off a stem of rhubarb and eating it raw could pucker you more than a sour patch kid can these days.  I remember my dad boiling cut rhubarb with sugar and making a pudding.  I didn’t like it.  It was stringy and pasty.  But oh how I loved my grandma’s strawberry rhubarb jam and strawberry rhubarb crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

I love the tastes as smells of my childhood.  I wish I would have appreciated them more when I was young. I didn’t realize how wonderful my life was and how wonderful my grandparents were.  Who knew that such simple things would bring back so many great memories of my grandma’s home in Lindon, Utah.  I loved the beautiful peonies that would be sprouting from the ground about this time every year.  Her rose garden would be starting to show signs of life after a long, cold winter.  She knew the name of every single rose in her garden.  Columbine and Hollyhocks would be sprouting up soon along with apple blossoms on the trees in her orchard.  If only I could go back to those wonderful days.

Note to self:  Call Aunt Stella and see if she has a rhubarb plant from grandma.

When I saw thin tender rhubarb stalks in the market, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them.

I hope you enjoy these rustic strawberry rhubarb tarts.  They are quite divine!

Look for thin stalks of rhubarb.  Thick ones can be quite stringy.  Pick out the reddest strawberries you can find.  Try to avoid buying strawberries that are white and flavorless.  My strawberries and rhubarb are organically grown.  Remember:  Garbage in.  Garbage out!!  Purchase the best available.

For this simple tart filling you will need:

2 cups (230 g) rhubarb, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups (230 g) strawberries, sliced.
1/4 cup (60 ml)honey or to taste
2 teaspoons instant tapioca
pinch of sea salt
1 vanilla bean, scraped or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

(Scroll down to the bottom for Gluten Free and Paleo options)

Begin by washing and slicing the rhubarb into 1/-2 inch slices.

Wash, and slice strawberries.

Place the rhubarb and strawberries into a medium size bowl.

Add the tapioca.

A pinch of sea salt.

Drizzle in 1/4 cup honey.

I’m using vanilla bean paste, which is so easy.  1 vanilla bean scraped would work as well as a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.

Stir the mixture.  Set aside.

For the tarts you will need:

1 recipe for 1 pie crust divided into fourths (you can use my recipe because it’s quite wonderful)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) cream
1 tablespoon sugar (I’m using evaporated cane juice sugar)
1 tablespoon butter

Roll out each fourth of dough into an 8-inch circle.

Add approximately 1/2 cup of the strawberry rhubarb mixture.

Bring the dough up around the filling and create pleats around the filling.  If you’re a sewer, much like a knife pleat.

Divide the butter into fourths and place a piece on top of each tart.  The butter can be optional.  My grandma’s always dotted their fruit pies with butter.  It gives the filling a bit of richness.

Brush with cream.

Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 20-25 minutes.

Bake until golden brown and the filling is bubbling a bit.

I’m thinking a scoop of strawberry or vanilla ice cream.

2 cups (230 g) rhubarb, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups (230 g) strawberries, sliced.
1/4 cup (60 ml) honey or to taste
2 teaspoons instant tapioca
pinch of sea salt
1 vanilla bean, scraped or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract