After all that talk about pie, here’s another family classic that’s perfect for when you have a ton of rhubarb and you don’t want to make pastry crust or wait for it to chill. This dessert has a buttery shortbread crust and a creamy, custardy filling with the tang of rhubarb.
Crust:
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt (omit if using salted butter)
1 stick butter, soft but not melted
Filling:
4-5 c. rhubarb, chopped into 1/2″ pieces
1 c. sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 9 x 13″ baking dish.
Crust: Stir the flour, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl and then cut in the butter with a fork or pastry blender until the butter is well-distributed in fine crumbs. Press the crust into a greased 9 x 13″ baking dish so that the crust goes halfway up the sides. Prick with a fork and bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. While the crust is baking, prepare the filling.
Filling: In a large mixing bowl, blend the sugar and flour with a fork. Add the eggs, vanilla, and rhubarb and mix until well combined. Pour the rhubarb mixture over the baked shortbread crust and return to the oven to bake for 30-35 minutes. The edges should be firm and the center slightly soft (it will continue to tighten up).
Serve warm or cooled. Store the leftovers in the refrigerator, if there are any.