Peaches

I am busy using up the last of my frozen peaches and making room for the new shipment coming at the end of this month. For the last two years I have been lucky enough to buy wonderful Colorado peaches from a direct source; the same source that I use for my Rainier cherries, blueberries and pears. When they arrive, it does keep me busy processing them for a while, but it is so worth it in the wintertime when they taste like they came from paradise.

Of course, peach pie is a favorite of everyone and I had a recipe a friend gave me that I was dying to try for the “pie-of-the-month” feature. It meant straying from my tried-and-true pie crust that I have always used for most pies—but I thought it would be fun to compare them. The pie is wonderful—every tester agreed. Some of us like a more traditional crust (made with lard or Crisco) better, but some thought the buttery taste of this one was great! It does require a lot of time and a bit of trouble, however. If you enjoy baking and have some good peaches—give this a try.

This pie has some attributes that are worth noting: it cuts cleanly because the filling doesn’t run as much as most pies; yet it is not a starchy and cloying filling like the kind you buy in a can. And the crust, though not quite as tender as some, is flaky, crisp, buttery and doesn’t get soggy from the peach filling.

Pastry

2 ¼ cups unbleached flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 stick butter, cut into ½-inch pieces, frozen solid
8 Tbsp. (4 ounces) cream cheese, cut into ½-inch pieces, chilled in freezer until very cold
4 Tbsp. vegetable shortening, cut into ½-inch pieces, frozen solid
1/3 cup ice water

Filling

6-8 cups peeled and sliced ripe fresh or frozen peaches (thawed if frozen)
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. corn starch
2 Tbsp. tapioca
¼ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. almond extract
1 Tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg white, beaten

Make the dough ahead of time: Mix flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and cut in with pastry blender just enough to break into pea-sized chunks. Add cream cheese and shortening pieces and cut in until fats are pea and fine gravel-sized. Rub flour-fat mixture through fingertips to blend. Add water, one tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork until mixture clumps together. With hands, quickly form into a ball, handling as little as possible. Divide into 2/3 and 1/3 portions. Wrap in plastic wrap then flatten to thick disks. Refrigerate one hour.

When ready to bake, place peaches in a large colander set over a bowl to catch juices. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. sugar and let stand for 30 minutes. Adjust oven rack to low-middle position. Place a pizza stone in oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Allow stone to heat at least 30 minutes.

Roll larger dough disk on a floured work surface into a 13-inch circle. Roll dough loosely over pin and unroll onto 10-inch pie pan. Trim close to rim. Refrigerate while preparing filling. Mix 1 cup sugar with cornstarch, tapioca and salt. Add to peaches along with almond extract and toss. Roll out remaining dough to a 12-inch circle. Add fruit filling to pie shell and dot with butter. Roll dough circle over pin and center over pie. Unroll. Trim to ½ inch beyond rim of pan. Flute edge. Set an 18-inch square of heavy-duty foil on pizza stone. Set pie on foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove pie from oven, brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with 1 ½ Tbsp sugar. Bake about 20 minutes longer. Bring foil around pie to loosely cover. Bake until filling bubbles, about 20-25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 2 to 3 hours.

One more way to use any frozen peaches you have hanging around—use only frozen for this recipe, though. This is a favorite of our inn guests

Frosty Peach Bisque

4 cups unsweetened frozen peaches, partially thawed
½-3/4 cup sugar
½ tsp. almond flavoring
1 cup lo-fat milk 1% or 2%
1 ½ cups half and half

Put peaches into food processor with metal blade. Break up with fork if very frozen. Process with pulses until smooth. Add sugar, almond flavoring, milk and half and half and process until very smooth.

Serve immediately in stemmed glasses with a sprig of mint.

If you are interested in ordering fruit from my source, contact Sharon Learned, learned@redwing.net