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~ peach pie ~

Fruit pies, cobblers, buckles, bettys, pandowdys, crisps, shortcakes, tarts, crumbles and gallettes are such perfect summer desserts. The unassuming, buttery vehicles that add a slight crunchy or crumbly sweetness without overshadowing the star of the show…that fragrant summer fruit!

I decided to make a peach pie over our four day weekend and opted for the nectarines instead of peaches because they were more ripe (and therefore, juicier and sweeter than the peaches in the neighboring bin.) Nectarines and peaches are pretty much the same thing. Nectarines are peaches without the fuzz 🙂

If you want to make the exact pie shown above, you’ll have to start with my recipe for no fail pie crust…Just click on THIS LINK and read how to do that over on my strawberry rhubarb pie post. Or, you could always use your favorite tried and true pie crust recipe. I like mine because it’s easy, delicious and flaky and doesn’t call for shortening (which we all know is the devil) or lard (yuck.) Not that I have any opinions about anything. hee hee.

Once you make enough pastry dough for a double crust, chill according to the specific directions for your crust. Roll it out. Place one of the crusts in a deep dish pie plate, leaving an inch of dough hanging over the edge…and fill with this deliciousness…

12 ripe peaches or nectarines, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup packed, dark brown sugar

2 Tablespoons all purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoon cloves

3 Tablespoons butter

1 large egg mixed with 1 Tablespoon water

vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine the filling ingredients together and mix well. Pile into the pastry-lined pie plate. Dot with the butter, and top with the remaining pie crust. (I like to cut pretty shapes into my crust to “vent” it instead of using a pie bird or just cutting slits… and I think decorating the top with the pastry cutouts adds a cute touch.) Crimp edges. Brush with the egg wash, and bake for 55 minutes in the bottom third of your oven. If your crust edges start to burn, cover them with a little aluminum foil. You may have noticed that the edges of the pie pictured above got a little dark. That’s because I tried a newfangled pie shield I found at the apple orchard this past autumn and it didn’t really work. Aluminum foil is a hassle, but it does the job.

When the pie is golden, and the filling is bubbling, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 15 to 20 minutes prior to slicing and serving.

Top with fresh whipped cream mixed with a little rum or vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

~Melissa