Peach Pie

My dad's birthday was last week, and given the choice between peach pie and his favorite cake (a chocolate mayonnaise cake - don't knock it until you try it), he'll usually choose peach pie. How appropriate, then, that peaches in the Northeast hit their peak right around his birthday! While I'm still dabbling in perfecting my peach pie recipe, here's the recipe I'm currently using (if you have a great recipe or some tips, please share them in the comments! I'd love to hear). It's a great way to wrap up this week's Peach-Palooza.

********************
Peach Pie
Makes one 9" pie

Crust:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
8-10 tablespoons ice water

1. Combine flour and salt. Add shortening and cut it into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal or small peas.

2. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough is able to form and hold a ball.

3. Divide the dough in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Roll onto a well-floured surface. Makes enough for a double-crust pie.

Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 cups thinly-sliced, peeled peaches (fresh or frozen - do not thaw frozen peaches)
1 egg, separated
1 tablespoon milk or cream

1. Preheat over to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, mix together sugar, tapioca, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add peaches and stir to cover the peaches with the sugar mixture. Let stand for 20 minutes.

2. On a well-floured surface, roll out one-half of the pie crust dough to form an 11" circle. Transfer the dough to a 9" pie plate (either by gently rolling it back on to a rolling pin or by folding into quarters). Mold the dough to fit the pie plate and leave an overhang of dough. Prick a few holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork. Brush the bottom of the crust with the egg white. Roll out the second half of the dough (in the same manner as the first) and have it ready to cover the filling.

3. Once the filling is ready, add it all at once to the prepared pie plate. Cover the filling with the second half of the pie dough. Crimp the edges of the top and bottom crusts together. Cut three or four small slits in the  top crust to allow steam to escape.

4. Mix together the egg yolk and milk. Brush over the top of the pie, and sprinkle with sugar (optional). Cover the edges of the pie crust with strips of aluminum foil. Place pie on a baking sheet.

5. Place pie in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil from pie and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for an additional 30 minutes or until pie filling bubbles and the crust is golden. Cool on a wire rack.

This recipe is adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook (an essential for every kitchen).

********************

PS- I'm thinking of doing a entire series of pie tutorials. Is that something you would be interested in reading? Let me know in the comments, and in the meantime, here are a few pictures of my Dad :-)

Camping this year at Belvedere Lake

Last fall

My favorite picture of my dad and I

Blowing out his birthday pie candle with help from Edie