Fresh Peach Pie ~
~ Skirt in the Kitchen ~
Have pie dough prepared and chilled ahead of time (recipe for crust follows). Set the oven temp to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Peel and slice 2 pounds ripe peaches.
Into a medium bowl, have ingredients on hand and measured of– 1 teaspoon ground smoked cinnamon,
freshly grated nutmeg, just a little…
1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, a reasonable pinch of ground cardamom, 1/4 cup flour,
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves… whisk together.
Toss peaches slowly, lightly, not to produce juices from the peaches to be of excess in the pie shell when filled.
This utensil works well for this even though it is meant for straining; is wide, so you won’t have to handle the peaches more than necessary.
Take the pie dough from the refrigerator, roll out to place in a 9-inch pie plate.
Carefully spoon in the peaches, dot with a little butter over the peaches before covering with the top crust.
After rolling out the top crust, fold into 4 layers. With a sharp knife, cut 1-inch indentations all the way through thickness along folded sides.
Unfold and lay crust over pie plate of peaches. Trim the edges slightly. To seal in the liquids that will run out from the peaches, crimp up the edge, bringing the under-layer of crust to envelope the top edge and seal it with your fingers, smoothing out the crust lines where the bottom crust with enclose the top edge, working it with your fingers of Pate Brisee, a workable, manageable pie crust dough– When pie is ready for baking, whisk 1 egg, lightly brush part of the whisked egg over the top, not on the edge– If on the edge, it tends to over-brown, can easily burn the trim. Generously sprinkle granulated sugar over the top of the pie; and if it gets into the knife slits, it will just bake in, still giving you the indentations on the pie crust top.
Pate Brisee ~
~ adapted from Sono ~
Chill the work bowl and processor blade before making dough.
In a food processor, combine 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon coarse salt. Add 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted cold butter, cut in small chunks to process better and quicker. You want some butter left to be seen within the dough– makes a flakier crust when baked, butter melting within the crust when your pie is baking.
While the food processor is running, add a little at a time through the feed tube ice water of 1/4 cup, a steady stream. The dough should not be wet or sticky. If it is too dry and does not hold together, add just a little more water– but not much.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, divide dough in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and flatten in the shape of a disk. Chill at least 1 hour before using. Wrapped well, it can last up to a month in the freezer.
Bake for 30 minutes, then turn down oven heat to 325 degrees F and continue baking for 20-25 minutes, but turn the pie, rotating it about halfway through baking time.
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