Georgia Peach Pie

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9-inch pie plate (glass or ceramic)
• •Pastry blender or food processor
• •Rolling pin
• •Rimmed baking sheet
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Pastry brush

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pie dough

   Whisk together flour, one tablespoon sugar, and one teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the cold cubed butter and work it into the flour using a pastry blender or your fingertips, pressing and smearing until you have a mix of pea-sized pieces and flattened shards. This variety creates layers. Some butter melts into tenderness, some creates flaky pockets.

   Southern bakers traditionally used lard for an even flakier crust. Substitute half the butter with cold leaf lard if you can find it from a good butcher.
2. 2

   Bring the dough together

   Drizzle six tablespoons of ice water over the flour mixture. Toss with a fork, then press the dough against the bowl's sides. If it holds together when squeezed, stop. If it crumbles, add water one tablespoon at a time. The dough should be shaggy, not smooth. Divide in half, flatten each portion into a disk about an inch thick, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate at least one hour.

3. 3

   Peel the peaches

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut a shallow X in the bottom of each peach. Working in batches, lower peaches into boiling water for thirty to sixty seconds, then transfer immediately to ice water. The skins will slip off easily. If they resist, the peaches need more time or aren't ripe enough.

   Truly ripe freestone peaches are essential. The pit should twist free without clinging to the flesh. Clingstone varieties fight you and turn to mush when baked.
4. 4

   Slice and season the fruit

   Halve the peaches along their natural seam, remove pits, and cut each half into four thick wedges. You want pieces substantial enough to hold their shape. Transfer to a large bowl and add three-quarters cup sugar, cornstarch, one-quarter teaspoon salt, lemon juice, almond extract, and cinnamon. Fold gently until every slice glistens. Let sit fifteen minutes while the juices begin to flow.

5. 5

   Roll the bottom crust

   On a floured surface, roll one dough disk into a circle about thirteen inches across, rotating the dough quarter turns and adding flour as needed to prevent sticking. The dough should be about an eighth inch thick. Drape it over a nine-inch pie plate, easing it into the corners without stretching. Trim edges to a half-inch overhang. Return to refrigerator while you roll the top crust.

6. 6

   Create the lattice top

   Roll the second disk to the same thickness. Using a sharp knife or pastry wheel, cut into strips about three-quarters inch wide. You'll have enough for a traditional woven lattice. Keep strips chilled until assembly. A warm lattice tears and sticks to itself.

   If lattice intimidates you, cut decorative vents in a solid top crust instead. The pie will taste just as good. But try the lattice at least once. It's easier than it looks.
7. 7

   Fill and weave

   Pour peach filling into the chilled bottom crust, mounding slightly in the center. Dot with the two tablespoons of butter pieces. Lay half your strips across the filling in one direction, spacing evenly. Weave remaining strips perpendicular, lifting alternating bottom strips to create the basket pattern. Trim strip ends and fold the bottom crust edge over them, crimping firmly with your fingers or a fork.

8. 8

   Apply the egg wash

   Beat the egg with cream until smooth. Brush this wash over all exposed pastry, working it into the crimped edges and lattice strips. This creates the deep golden sheen that makes a proper pie beautiful. Sprinkle turbinado sugar generously over the top. The coarse crystals stay crunchy through baking.

9. 9

   Bake the pie

   Position a rack in the lower third of your oven and place a rimmed baking sheet on it. Heat oven to 425°F. Set pie on the hot baking sheet. Bake twenty minutes at this high heat to set the crust quickly. Reduce temperature to 375°F and continue baking thirty to thirty-five minutes more. The pie is done when juices bubble thickly through the lattice and the crust is deep golden brown.

   If the edges brown too quickly, shield them with strips of foil. But don't cover the whole pie or the top won't crisp properly.
10. 10

    Cool completely before slicing

    Transfer pie to a wire rack and let it cool at least three hours, preferably four. This is not optional. The filling needs time to set. Cut too soon and you'll have peach soup in a soggy crust. The cornstarch requires cooling to thicken properly. Walk away. Find something else to do. The wait is worth it.

Chef Tips

• •Georgia's peach season peaks from mid-June through August. The best pies come from fruit so ripe it bruises if you look at it wrong. Farmers markets beat supermarkets every time.
• •If fresh Georgia peaches are unavailable, look for freestone varieties from South Carolina or California. Frozen peaches work in winter if you thaw and drain them well, though the texture differs.
• •The almond extract is traditional but subtle. It shouldn't taste like almonds. It should taste like peaches that somehow became more peachy. Use pure extract, never imitation.
• •Serve this pie at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a pour of cold heavy cream. In the Deep South, some folks insist on a thin slice of sharp cheddar alongside. Don't knock it until you've tried it.
• •A baked pie keeps at room temperature for two days, covered loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Refrigeration dulls the crust but extends life to five days.

Advance Preparation

• •Pie dough can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
• •The pie is best eaten the day it's baked, but holds well at room temperature under a cake dome for a second day. The crust softens slightly but the flavor remains.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 340g)