Peach-Rhubarb Pie

I love pie. I especially love tangy fruit pies. Cream pies are OK, but I think the best flavor comes from fresh fruit that's not too sweet. Peach-Rhubarb is a great combination, mixing the perfect summer sweetness of peaches with the sour twang of rhubarb. You can fuss with the ratio of peaches to rhubarb if you'd like, just make sure you've got 1 pound total fruit. I'm not too patient when it comes to rolling out dough, so I use the quick and easy solution of buying a pre-made crust - no mixing, rolling, or any other fuss. One more thing: I'm not sure if I'm using too much filling for my pie pan, but this recipe frequently boils over in the oven, making the sheet pan on the oven rack an absolute necessity.

Ingredients

• One package frozen pie crusts for a two-crust pie (I like Marie Callender's)
• 8 ounces sliced peaches (frozen is fine)
• 8 ounces sliced rhubarb (again, frozen is fine)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons minute tapioca pearls, ground in a blender
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• pinch salt
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
  

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees with a sheet pan on the bottom rack. Prepare crusts for filling according to package directions. Whisk together 1 cup sugar, tapioca, and salt. Stir in peaches, rhubarb, and lemon juice. Pour into pie shell. Crimp the top crust onto the bottom crust. Using kitchen shears, cut 5 slits about 2 inches long through the top crust. In a small bowl, beat the egg with one tablespoon of water. Lightly brush onto top crust, being careful not to brush egg into the slits. Sprinkle the superfine sugar on top of the pie. Bake for 60 minutes (90 if using frozen fruit). If the crust starts to brown too much before the time is up, place a ring of aluminum foil around the edge to protect it. Let cool for at least 4 hours (8 would be better) to allow the filling to set up before serving.