Chefmom's Classic Peach Pie
List of Ingredients
For the Pastry
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
-----3 cups of pastry flour can be substituted
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
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1 cup regular Crisco shortening, at a cool room temperature
3 Tablespoons butter, cut into tiny cubes and keep in the refrigerator
Ice Water, I keep a cup on hand, but only use what you need….more on that later
For the filling
8 ripe fresh peaches, medium to large size
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons instant Tapioca
1 Tablespoon corn starch
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Freshly grated nutmeg
Recipe
To make the pastry, in a large bowl, mix the flours with the sugar, salt and baking powder. Cut the shortening into the flour mixture until small pea like lumps form. This is best done with your hands, or a pastry blender (that "thing" which looks like a handle with half circle wires). Then toss in the tiny butter cubes and cut for a few more times, then add the water. Only add water slowly, about 2 tbsp at a time. Toss with a fork and then add the next amount of water to the dry area of the crumbs. Keep doing this until there is very little dry crumbs left. You don't want a soggy mess, but lumps beginning to form. Gently knead (just a few strokes) the mass together and divide in half. Pat into rounds and flatten in your hands, then wrap firmly in plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours, but I prefer to chill overnight.
When you are ready to make the pie, have ready, a basic 9-inch Pyrex pie plate or a deep dish 8-inch Pyrex pie plate. Roll out one disk of dough** and using your rolling pin, roll up the dough and transfer to the pie plate, gently ease the dough down into the plate, don't stretch. Trip the edges with scissors about 1/2 inch from the edge. Store this in the freezer until you need it.
For the filling, first peel the peaches, this is best done by slicing a cross in the bottom and then plunge them into boiling water, two at a time. You will see the cut begin to peel, immediately remove them and then plunge into ice water to chill quickly. Then after a few minutes you can pick them up and with a paring knife, peel them. Set aside until you have peeled all the peaches. They are blanched, so you don't need to worry about them browning at this point.
When all the peaches are peeled and cooled, combine in a bowl the sugar, salt, starch and tapioca and spices for the filling. I like to grate the nutmeg over the peaches as I layer them in the pie. Slice the peaches into the crust and after you have two or three peaches sliced, then sprinkle 1/3 of the sugar mixture over them, continue until all the peaches are sliced and the sugar mixture is used up.
To top the pie, dampen the edge with ice water. Then roll the second piece of pastry out, as you did with the bottom crust, roll it onto the pin and then line up with the filled bottom crust and roll over the top. Press the edges together and trim them with scissors about 1/2-inch from the edge. Press together as you fold the top over the bottom and press again. Crimp the edge, with a knife, slice a few decorative slashes in the top to vent steam and then refrigerate the pie for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, when you pop the pie into the fridge, pre-heat your oven to 450°. Set your rack on it's lowest setting. In thirty minutes, remove the pie from the fridge and brush the top with milk and sprinkle with sugar (this helps give a nice crisp top with a sweet edge). Place the pie into the oven on the lowest rack and lower the oven temperature to 350°, but don't open the oven for 40 minutes. I would check the pie after about 45 minutes, then use your eyes to judge when it's done.
A pie like this needs it's filling to boil to thicken. Be sure it's boiling for several minutes before removing it from the oven. The Pyrex plates make it easy to look at the bottom and check to see if it's brown. The colored plates are pretty, but it's hard to check to doneness with them. I always place a piece of foil on the bottom of my oven for spill overs, you will probably have them when the filling comes to a boil.
Fruit pies are best eaten the day they are made, you can refrigerate left-overs, but don't expect the crust to hold up, it will begin to soak up the filling juices and there isn't too much you can do about it!
***My method of rolling pie dough is simple, beat it. I always shape it into a circle and flatten it as soon as it's made. This helps it to chill faster (and evenly) and it's already in a round shape to make rolling faster. I lightly flour my rolling surface and rolling pin, then I set the dough on the surface and beat it, yes, beat it. I take the rolling pin and smack it to begin flattening the dough, then turn over and beat it in the opposite direction. I do this about 4 times, always in opposite directions from the other. Then I quickly can roll it (turn after each roll) into the shape I need. I keep from sticking, keep it moving. A long angled spatula or long knife helps keep from sticking. If small crack develop, especially after the first few beatings, be sure to press them together, if flour gets in them, they will just get bigger and bigger and make your life miserable.
Do not fret if you do get a crack, especially when you transfer the dough, just dab some ice water on the surface and press back together. I've seen many County Fair winners that were patched a bit. And a flaky crust is so much better than one that you can build a house on!!
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A Note from Chefmom...
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Many people know that at one time I worked as a baker for a small catering business. My main job there was to make the pies. And make them I did, about 100 a week, and many more than that towards the holidays. I can't say that I made great pie, that is difficult when you are using semi-tasteless fruit that is economical and making large quantities of pie dough in a commercial mixer. But I did learn about pie. At home now I can say that I make pretty good pie, some are better than others, mainly because I'm always trying out new things, new techniques, and new fruits.
My thoughts on this particular recipe is simple, keep it simple. Sure you can find plenty of recipes for peaches and something, but when I make pie, I like it to be pie. I know that might sound dull to many people, but hey, I live in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and at the end of July and into August when the Peaches hit the Farmer's Market's, well, I can't think of any other way to celebrate the glorious peach than in a pie.
It's funny, when I was a little girl I hated Peaches. It was the fuzz, but I loved a good Nectarine. Over the years it seemed as though you just couldn't buy a good Nectarine anymore, then, I moved here. While roaming the market I smelled a wonderful smell, peaches, and hubbie convinced me to buy some. Well, we came home that day with a case of peaches and I put my new canner to work. While skinning and slicing peaches for Peach butter, I couldn't take the heavenly smell any longer, and I had a taste. Oh what a taste it was, sweet, refreshing, and just plain wonderful. I sat down and for the first time in my life, I ate a bowl of peaches!! I learned what many other people have always known. Buy local. The varieties that taste good don't come from across the globe, they come from down the street. So now I always buy from local farmers!! It makes a huge difference!
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