4 c hulled & halved fresh strawberries (quartered if large) .
3/4 c sugar .
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon .
2/3 c packed light brown sugar .
1 basic flaky pie pastry (single crust) .
Cornmeal Crumb Topping .
1/2 c cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces .
Filling .
1 lemon, zest of .
1/4 tsp salt .
3 c fresh rhubarb, stalks sliced crosswise 1/2-inch thick
Directions
Step #1 Roll out & place pie pastry into a 9 ½ inch deep-dish pie pan; place this in freezer for 15 mins.
Step #2 Preheat oven to 400°.
Step #3 In a big bowl, mix rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice, & lemon zest; toss together; set aside for 10 mins.
Step #4 Add in the strawberries & tapioca; toss well; scrape filling into the chilled pie shell; smooth top this with your hands.
Step #5 Place pie on the center oven rack; bake for 30 mins.
Step #6 Meanwhile, cornmeal, cinnamon, brown sugar, mix the flour, & salt in a food processor/blender; pulse several times to mix.
Step #7 Scatter the butter over the top & pulse until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
Step #8 Empty the crumbs into a bowl & rub between your fingers to make large, buttery crumbs; put in the fridge until ready to use.
Step #9 Remove pie from oven; decrease temperature to 375°; carefully dump crumbs in the center of the pie, spreading them evenly over the surface with you hands.
Step #10 Tamp them down carefully; return pie to oven, placing it so that the part that faced the back of the oven now faces forward; slide a foil wrap-lined baking pan onto the rack below to catch any spills.
Step #11 Continue to bake 30-40 mins until juices bubble thickly around the edge; if necessary, cover with loosely tented foil wrap during the last 10 mins to prevent overbrowning.
Step #12 Transfer pie to a wire rack; let cool for at least 1 hr before serving.