Rhubarb is very common in Northern France and Belgium gardens, it's a ligneous stick and several crops can be done from April to fall if the season is warm and humid enough.

Ingredients:

Short pastry (enough for a pie).
1 kg (2 lbs) of rhubarb sticks
200 to 300g (1/2 to 3/4 lb) sugar.
2 to 3 egg whites.

Preparation :

On previous day, peel the rhubarb and cut into chunks (1/2 inch). Peeling the rhubarb is easy: just pull the peel. Put the rhubarb chunks in a bowl and pour sugar. Keep it one night (in a cool place).

The next day, spread the pastry (thick enough, it may have to soak up the rhubarb juice) and pour the rhubarb chunks on it. Put in oven and let cook for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhiel, prepare a meringue. In a large bowl, combine egg whites, salt. Beat at medium-low speed until egg whites are frothy. Increase speed to medium; beat until egg whites hold a soft peak. With mixer running, slowly add 1/2 cup sugar (optionnally you could add some cornstarch). Increase speed to medium-high; beat until mixture is glossy and egg whites hold a stiff peak.
Spread the meringue on the pie and put back in the oven (not too hot, 250 degrees F). Keep an eye on the meringue and take out of the oven when its surface is hard enough).

This two times cooking, after the rhubarb has spent anight in suger to release its water) is needed to avoid a water rhubarb pie...

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