Fried Rhubarb Pies

These rhubarb fried pies are a gourmet twist on the classic McDonald’s apple pies, but using my neighbours rhubarb. Combining the tartness of rhubarb with hints of orange and cinnamon, and a touch of vanilla. Encased in a flaky pastry, the pies can be fried to a golden crisp or baked for a lighter option.
Ingredients
Filling
4 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup/130g caster sugar
1 tbs pure vanilla extract
Zest & juice 1 orange
4 tbs crystallised ginger, finely chopped
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbs cornflour
Pastry
2 cups/240g all-purpose/plain flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tbs caster sugar
2/3 cup/150g plant butter, cold and cut into small cubes
4 tbs cold water
1 litre Vegetable Oil, for frying
Custard
2 cups/500ml coconut milk
1/2 cup/125ml Maple Syrup/Agave
3 tbs cornflour
1 tsp vanilla extract
Serve with
Chopped pistachio nuts
Method
Watch Tutorial VideoTo make rhubarb fried pies, start by preparing the filling. In a medium saucepan, combine the 3/4’s of the chopped rhubarb, sugar, vanilla, crystallised ginger, orange zest, orange juice, and ground cinnamon then place over a medium heat. Cook until the rhubarb begins to soften and release its juices – this should take around 15 minutes. Stir thorough the rest of the rhubarb to inject an extra punch of vibrant pink colour. In a small bowl, mix the cornflour with water until smooth, then stir it into the rhubarb mixture. Continue to cook until the filling thickens. When jammy remove the filling from the heat and allow to cool completely.
Next, prepare the pastry. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and sugar. Add the cold, cubed butter and use your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles bread crumbs. Gradually add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing just until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overwork the dough. Wrap the dough & allow it to rest in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the dough to about a 3mm thickness. Using a round cutter or a 3” plate, cut out circles of dough. Place a spoonful of the cooled rhubarb filling in the center of each circle. Fold the dough over the filling to form a half-moon shape and press the edges together to seal, using a fork to crimp the edges. To help the dough stick you can use a splash of water brushed over the edges.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot. Be sure not to overfill the pan with oil; it should be deep enough to submerge the pies halfway but not so much that it risks spilling over when adding the pies. Fry the pies in batches, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Remove the pies with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Alternatively you can bake the pies, in your oven for 35 minutes at 180 degrees C temperature.
After frying place the pies on to a plate lined with kitchen paper to soak up excess oil.
I serve mine with homemade custard – method below & chopped pistachio nuts.
For the custard in a medium saucepan, combine the coconut milk and maple. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture is hot but not boiling. In a small bowl, mix the cornflour with a few tablespoons of the hot coconut milk mixture, stirring until smooth to make a slurry. Gradually whisk the slurry back into the saucepan. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for another minute, stirring continuously. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.