What is it about a peach pie? Man, they just send me....as in last-meal-menu-item sent. My grandparents had an orchard and the peaches would, of course, stay on the tree until they were ripe (remember those days?!). Well, once they were fragrant, out would come the ladders and we would fill baskets with these sun warm little love bombs. We would can them spiced, brandy them for ice cream topping and also make peach pies by the dozen for the freezer.
So, when I smell peaches, I instantly time travel right back to that first bite of warm peach pie in the summertime, and I'm all good. When the peaches are ripe and fragrant at farmer's market give this a try and you and yours will be very pleased.
Peach Pie
The trick is to bake it on a regular metal pan; not glass, in a nice hot oven on the bottom shelf and then, once out, let it rest for 2 or 3 hours before serving.
Crusts:
5 tbl. water
3.25 tsp. corn starch
9 oz flour (2 cups)
.75 tsp. salt
1 Tbl. sugar
8 oz. butter, cut up
3 Tbl. sour cream
milk & sugar for top crust
Peach Filling:
10 peaches/ 2.75 lb. (not white peaches, too watery)
1/ 2 cup sugar
2 1/ 2 Tb. flour
dash of salt
optional spices;
1/ 4 tsp. ground allspice 1/ 2 tsp cinnamon grating of nutmeg
In advance: whisk together the water and cornstarch. Microwave until set, 40 seconds, stirring halfway through and at the end. Chill it. In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar and salt and process 5 seconds. Add the chilled cornstarch mixture and pulse about 5 pulses. Add the sour cream & cold cut up butter. process until the dough just comes together and begins to collect around the blade, 20 to 30 seconds. Pat the dough into two 4-inch discs, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Flash-blanching peaches is a wonderful ritual just for the smell alone. Bring a large pot of water to boil and plop in your ripe peaches. Now count slowly to thirty while you put a bowl of ice water together in the sink. Lift the peaches out of the pot with a slotted spoon and plop into the ice bath; let them cool a minute, then peel.
For the bottom crust: On a well-floured surface roll out both discs of dough separately with the firm push of a rolling pin to about an 1/8 of an inch thick. With a thin spatula, lift one side of the first crust and flop it over your pin, then gently roll the dough around the pin to transfer it to the pie shell, if it tears you can mend it with a bit of water. Set it in the refrigerator and roll out the top crust.
For the top crust: Brush the rim of the bottom crust with water to better adhere the top crust. Roll out the top crust then brush with milk & sprinkle very generously with sugar. Cut lattice strips and weave in a decorative chris-cross pattern (or simply top it, adding slits to the center for the heat to vent). Lattice tops are not hard to make, with practice even children can do them, just start on one side with a strip going each way and gently fold over alternating strips as yo u place on the next, when covered, either way, crimp the edges to seal. Trim the excess and crimp the edges to seal.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Slice the blanched peaches into a bowl and toss with the sugar, flour and spices. Pour into the bottom crust.
Peaches are juicy, I prepare for the inevitable dripping lining a sheet pan with a sheet of foil, then I top that with a rack and place the pie on top of that, makes for pretty easy clean up. Bake on the bottom shelf 375 for 50 to 55 minutes until deep golden. Remove and let the pie rest & thicken several hours. Alternatively, to hold here, freeze the pie & bake straight from the freezer later, it will take nearly twice as long to bake.
Or…have us make it for your next event. We cook everything from scratch with love just like you would, so you can relax & enjoy your celebration. Give us a call at 805 963 5766 anytime, we’d love to help.
Happy Creating~
Lynette La Mere, Pure Joy Catering Executive Chef