By Mary Jo Spiegel
Enquirer contributor

Gardening used to conjure up peaceful days in my personal Eden. That was before I actually planted my own veggie patch. Unlike in those glossy gardening magazines, I have no beautifully landscaped plots, perfect for lounging and drinking lemonade.

For one thing, my garden drives me to a stronger drink. Like the saucers of beer I'm placing among my muddy strawberry plants when I'm not battling weeds or spreading organic slug annihilator.

I do all of this so my strawberries will be blemish- and slug-free for my nemesis, Mr. Groundhog, who invariably gets the pick of the crop an hour before I do.

Now, it's not like I don't get anything out of gardening. I almost always get poison ivy. And a wonderful crop of low-maintenance rhubarb, perfect for glazing pork and filling pies.

In fact, when I'm not dodging cicadas this year, I think I will relax in my garden and say the heck with strawberries. Rhubarb pie is just as delicious as long as you pick firm, rosy stalks and stay away from those toxic leaves.

Pasta frolla, classic cookie-like Italian dough, stands up to rhubarb's tartness in this pie. Like rhubarb, the dough is also low-maintenance and no matter how you try to crimp it, looks and tastes decidedly homemade.

Rustic Rhubarb Pie

PASTA FROLLA

11/2 cups flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons butter, cold and cut in small pieces

2 eggs

FILLING

5 cups sliced rhubarb (2 bags frozen)

11/4 cups sugar

21/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

TOPPING

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 tablespoons butter, cold and cut in small pieces

Make pasta frolla by combining flour, sugar, baking powder and salt using electric mixer and whisk attachment. Add butter; mix until crumbly. Mix in eggs until mixture resembles cornmeal. Form dough into ball with hands and knead until smooth. Form dough into flattened disc, wrap and refrigerate 1 hour. Dough will be very stiff. Roll out dough on floured board to line 9-inch pie pan, press together any cracks, and set aside.

Toss all filling ingredients together in large pot. Stir over medium heat until mixture is bubbly, thickened, and rhubarb is tender, 10 minutes. Pour filling into dough lined pie pan. Make topping by stirring together flour, sugar and cinnamon. Rub butter into flour mixture with hands. Sprinkle on top of pie. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees, or until crust and topping are golden brown. Makes 8 servings.

E-mail maryjo@saucycook.com