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Rhubarb & Pear Pie with Cardamom Crust
Sift together 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup confectioners sugar, 1 tsp cardamom, 1.25 tsp salt.
Cut 1 cup “butter” and 1/8 cup shortening into the flour with a pastry blender or work in lightly with the tips of your fingers until you reach a consistency like cornmeal. Cut another 1/8 cup shortening into the dough until pea-sized crumbs form.
Sprinkle the dough with 6 tbsp ice water.
Blend gently into the dough until it just holds together.
Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
Roll out into 2 circles. Line a 9 inch pie pan with half the dough. Slice the other half into half inch wide strips.
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Measure 5 cups rhubarb, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch lengths, into a bowl.
Add 1.25 cups sugar, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/4 tsp salt. Stir to combine.
Let sit 15 minutes,  stirring occasionally.
Cut 1 large pear into chunks and add to rhubarb mixture along with 1 tbsp lemon juice.
Pour filling into crust and sprinkle with 1 tbsp “butter”, cut into small pieces.
Weave strips of crust to form lattice crust.
Brush with milk or cream substitute of your choice and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake in lower third of oven at 425 for 30 minutes then lower temperature to 350 and bake for 30 minutes more. Juices should be thick and bubbling. Cool completely on a rack.