To make the crust, measure the flour by scooping it in your measuring cup, and leaving off the top with the back side of a butter knife. This will help ensure that you aren’t using too much flour.

Place flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

Add the shortening to the bowl.

Cut the butter into thin pieces, or you can grate it with the large holes of your cheese grater, and add to the flour.

Use a pastry blender or a fork to combine the flour, butter, and shortening. Press until you have pieces of the fat mixed in with chunks about the size of peas remaining.

Add the cold water all at once, and stir to combine. The dough will come together nicely.

Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and use your hands to collect it all into one ball.

Cut the ball in half, and flatten each half into a disc.

Wrap each disc tightly with plastic wrap.

Store in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using, or up to 3 days before you make the pie.

When you are ready to make the pie, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Add the chopped rhubarb and strawberries, sugar, vanilla, and flour to a large bowl. Stir to combine.

Remove the pie crust from the fridge and roll one half out for the bottom of the crust into a 14 inch circle. Place circle into the bottom of a deep 9-inch pie plate.

Stir the rhubarb mixture again and then add it to the pie.

Roll the second disc of pie crust out into a 16 inch circle. Cut it into 10, 1-inch strips.

Add 6 strips across the pie, spacing them evenly across the pie. Pull back pieces 1, 3, and 5 and place a pie dough strip near the edge of the pie crust. You are making a lattice crust.

Replace pieces 1, 3, and 5 and pull back pieces 2, 4, and 6. Place another piece of pie crust close to the first one you laid down. Repeat with remaining strips until you've working your way across the pie and have use all the dough strips.

Fold the pie dough that is over hanging the edge of the bottom crust up and into the edge of the latice and then crimp the edges.

Brush the dough with water and then sprinkle with granulated or sparkling sugar.

Place the pie on a foil lined baking sheet, and place it in the hot oven.

Bake for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. without opening the door. Bake for an additional 1 hour. Check the pie after 30 minutes of cooking to see if the crust is getting to brown. If the crust is browning quickly, you can place a piece of foil gently on the top to prevent additional browning.

When the pie is done, remove it from the oven. All the pie to rest for 2-3 hours before cutting so that the filling has time to set.

Enjoy warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream on the side.