American Pie

Yesterday we feasted on old fashioned potato salad, burgers and corn on the cob before heading out to launch fireworks in the middle of the street with our new neighbors. Classic Americana.  I made a peach pie with extra juicy and flavorful yellow peaches using a version of a recipe from The Joy of Cooking. Make it now while the stone fruit is in season! Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and definitely eat the leftovers for breakfast.

Summer Peach Pie

Prepare a double pie crust 

(I use The Joy of Cooking's Flaky Pastry Dough recipe)

2 1/2 lbs peaches (about 6 large) peeled, pitted and sliced

3/4 cup sugar

3 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, move the top rack to the lower third, placing a sheet pan on the bottom rack.

Roll half of the dough into a 13" round and fit it into a 9", trim the overhang of dough to 3/4" and refrigerate.   

Mix the fruit, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and salt together in a large bowl, let stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  

Add the fruit mixture to the pie pan.  Brush the edge of the crust with water and cover the other rolled out crust, tuck the excess under, and press the two sides together with your index finger to crimp the edge. Brush the pie crust with milk and sprinkle with 2 tsp of sugar.

Bake the pie for 20 minutes at 425, reduce oven to 350 (cover the crust if browning to quickly) and bake for another 30 minutes (uncover for the last 5 minutes).  Allow to cool and set for at least 1 hour before serving.