Peach or Other Stone Fruit Pie
Instructions:
The classic two-crust peach (or nectarine, cherry, apricot,
plum, what-have-you) pie. Please use perfectly ripe fruit
if at all possible.
About 2 pounds peaches, or a little more (6 to 10
peaches, depending on size)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
About 1/2 cup sugar, more if the peaches are not quite
ripe, plus a little for the top
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon or 1/2 teaspoon almond
extract
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or ground allspice,
if you use cinnamon
11/2 tablespoons cornstarch or 2 tablespoons instant
tapioca
2 recipes Flaky Piecrust
, bottom crust fitted into a 9-inch pie pan, top crust transferred to a rimless baking sheet, both chilled 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
Milk as needed
, bottom crust fitted into a 9-inch pie pan, top crust transferred to a rimless baking sheet, both chilled
- Heat the oven to 450 F. Peel the peaches: Bring a pot of water to a boil and drop the peaches into it, a couple at a time, for 10 to 30 seconds, until the skins loosen.
- Plunge into a bowl of ice water. Slip the skins off, using a paring knife to ease the process. Pit, slice, and toss with the lemon juice.
- Mix together the dry ingredients (including the almond extract if you’re using it) and toss the peaches with this mixture. Pile into the rolled-out shell, making the pile a little higher in the center than at the sides. Dot with butter. Cover with the top crust. Decorate the edges with a fork or your fingers.
- Put the pie on a baking sheet and brush the top lightly with milk; sprinkle with sugar. Use a sharp paring knife to cut two or three 2-inch-long slits in the top crust; this will allow steam to escape. Bake for 10 minutes; reduce the heat to 350 F and bake for another 40 to 50 minutes, or until the pie is golden brown. Do not underbake.
- Cool on a rack before serving warm or at room temperature.
- Peach and Berry Pie.
- Blueberries are the classic choice: Add 1 cup berries to the mixture of peaches or other fruit.
- Peach and Ginger Pie.
- Add 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger to the mixture (do not combine with almond extract; use cinnamon and nutmeg).
- Plum Pie.
- Use the small prune (Italian) plums that come into season in early autumn.
- Cherry Pie.
- Sour cherries are best for pie: Substitute 4 to 5 cups pitted sour cherries for the peaches; omit the lemon juice unless you’re using sweet cherries. If you use canned cherries, drain them well and increase the thickener by 1 tablespoon.
- MAKES: One 9-inch pie (about 8 servings)
- TIME: About 11/2 hours