Mister: What's for dessert?
Me: Peach Pie.
Mister: With ice cream?
Me: Maybe.
Mister: I don't want any dinner, just give me the pie.
Me: Well, if you have pie for dinner what will you have for dessert?
Mister: Ice cream.
Over the last six weeks, I have made at least a dozen peach pies...and in case you're wondering, yes, it's true, man can live by pie alone. I was given a great peach pie recipe, (thanks to Frau Bink) and while it is ridiculously delicious, I decided to play around with it a bit, so while I made a dozen peach pies, they were all variations on a theme...cue the music...Bye bye Miss American Pie, Drove my chevy to the levee, But the levee was dry...
You'll need one batch of the incredible pie crust recipe I gave you earlier this week, click here, and about 3 lbs. of barely ripe peaches. What makes this pie different from the others, a stand-out, a slice-above, if you get my drift, is juice from the peaches...it's cooked until it's concentrated and syrupy, going from juice to elixir to potion. Peach potion. That's the game changer, the bell ringer, the deal maker. Peach potion. Please resist the urge to dab a bit behind your ears or on your wrists...you'll want every drop for your pie.
A thing of beauty, no? We're right smack dab in the middle of peach season...so if there is ever a time for you to make peach pie, it's now. Speaking of time...this one takes a bit...you'll need 30 minutes for the pie crust to be refrigerated, and another 20 or so to peel the peaches, reduce the juices, roll out the crust. Then it needs to bake for 55 to 60 minutes...while your kitchen becomes a varitable perfumery...and then, before you can slice into this amazing dessert, you need to let it cool...completely cool so the juices redistribute and the pie isn't runny. Overnight is best, but if you can't wait, go ahead and eat it warm, for dinner...there are no Pie Police.
Peachy Peach Pie - Adapted from Barbara Schwartz via Frau Bink
2 disks prepared pie crust, click here for recipe
3 lbs. peaches, barely ripe
3/4 cup white sugar plus
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
zest of one lemon
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 egg white
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar for sprinkling (or you can use white sugar)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel and pit the peaches. Cut into slices about 1/4-inch in width. In a large bowl, combine sliced peaches with sugar, salt and lemon juice and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Drain peaches in a colander over another bowl to collect the juice, approximately one cup. Boil down the juice in a saucepan over medium heat to about 1/3 cup. Set aside to cool.
Combine the peach slices, lemon zest, almond extract and cornstarch until the cornstarch dissolves. Add the cooled, concentrated juice to the peaches and mix well.
Roll out 1 disk of pie dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Place in pie plate and trim the edge even with the pie plate rim. Place in refrigerator for 10 minutes. Roll out second disk to same thickness. Remove pie plate from refrigerator and fill with the peach mixture. Sprinkle chopped pecans over peaches. Top with the second rust. Trim overhang 1/2-inch larger than bottom crust. Fold top crust over the bottom crust and crimp. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Vent pie by making a few slits in the top (or use a pie bird). Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then turn down heat to 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until crust is dark golden brown. Cool for at least 3 hours before serving, or overnight. Serves 8.
Check out two variations of this recipe, both equally as divine, Peach Pie with Pastry Cream and Peach Galette with Frangipane...in a word? Magnifique. That's French. I'm learning to speak French...Gateau, Boulangerie, Patisserie...did I mention I'm going to France? Oui! Moi! Paree! Joie! Excitantes!!
