Best Rhubarb Cobbler with My Oma's Topping

This is a recipe I grew up with.  We used to pick rhubarb by the pound from my best friend's mom's garden.  Now I have to wait for the farmers market.  At my house we like our rhubarb bitter and served with sweet cream or vanilla ice cream to sweeten it up, but you can add a bit more sugar if you like it sweeter.  Cobbler topping is my Oma's, and the original card she wrote it on is now almost clear from all of the butter droppings spilled on it.  It is really the best topping I have ever had, you can change it up by adding 1t cinnamon or almond extract if you're making an apple or pear cobbler.  The variations on add ins to the topping are endless so be creative, but remember to show a bit of restraint in quantity of additional ingredients or the topping will overpower the fruit.

Rhubarb Cobbler

Serves 6 

PreHeat Oven to 350

About 2 and 1/2 to 3 pounds Rhubarb

1/4-1/3 flour

1/4-1/2 cup sugar

OPTIONAL: 1 egg (this makes a cakier cobbler)

Chop off leaves and discard (they're poisonous). Chop rhubarb stalks into about 3/4 inch slices.  For wide rhubarb stalks slice stalk down the middle before chopping.  Toss rhubarb in flour and sugar.  (If using egg beat together egg and sugar and pour over flour-tossed rhubarb). Pour mixture into pie pan.  Rhubarb should heap above the pan since it will settle while baking.  Set aside.

Pie Variations:  Add 1 cup strawberries in with rhubarb for a natural sweetness and increase flour by 1/4 cup. 

OMA'S TOPPING

1 cup sugar

1 cup unsalted butter

1 and 1/2 cups flour

1/4 t salt (optional)

1 t vanilla (or other add ins)

Add butter, vanilla and sugar, just begin to beat or use food processor to bring together.  Then add flour and salt beat until mixture is consistent.  If you keep the butter colder the toping will be more fine if the butter is warmer it will begin to form a ball in the food processor.  

Pull apart topping and disperse it evenly over pie.  Try not to over handle the toping too much or the butter will begin to melt.  Once the pie is covered in topping place in preheated oven.  Bake about 30 min or until topping begins to brown and you can see the rhubarb juice consistently bubbling up on the inside of the pan.

Enjoy  with vanilla ice cream