(5oz) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1
lg egg yolk
700g
(1 ½lb) rhubarb, sliced into 2cm (3/4in) diagonal slices
1Tbsp.
vanilla extract
3Tbsp.
semolina
1
med egg, beaten
2Tbsp.
demerara sugar
custard, to serve
Directions
Step 1
In a food processor, pulse the flour, 3tbsp sugar, butter and a large pinch of fine salt until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Or rub the flour, 3tbsp sugar, butter and pinch of salt together using a table knife until it forms pea-sized lumps, then continue to rub the mixture together with fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. In a jug, beat together the egg yolk with 3tbsp ice-cold water. Gradually add yolk mixture to the flour mixture, stirring it in quickly by hand or with the food processor motor running, until the mixture just comes together into large flakes without becoming sticky. Turn out pastry on to a lightly floured surface and gently bring together with your hands, kneading briefly. Flatten to form a disc shape, then wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30min.
Step 2
In a large bowl, mix rhubarb with the remaining 100g (3½oz) sugar and set aside for 1hr, stirring occasionally until juices are released from the fruit. Use a slotted spoon to lift rhubarb out of juice into another large mixing bowl and stir through the vanilla extract. Set juice aside for later.
Step 3
Heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4 with a flat baking tray inside to preheat. Lightly flour the work surface and a rolling pin and roll pastry out into a circle about 35.5cm (14in) wide. Trim 1cm (½in) off the scraggy pastry edge to neaten. Use the rolling pin to lift the dough on to a large piece of baking parchment. Use a 20.5cm (8in) cake tin to gently press an indent in the centre of the pastry to mark out a circle. Evenly sprinkle semolina inside the circle and pile the rhubarb on top. Brush the 5cm (2in) pastry border with egg. Fold the border up and over the edge of the fruit, pinching a seam at 5cm (2in) intervals. Chill for 15min.
Step 4
Brush pastry rim with remaining egg and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Carefully slide on to the preheated baking sheet and bake for 30-40min until golden.
Step 5
Before serving, simmer the reserved rhubarb juice and 3tbsp water in a small pan for 3-4min until reduced to 1tbsp. Brush over the baked fruit to glaze. Serve warm, with custard.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
