Immortal Peach Pie

     If there is a recipe for which I might claim some kitchen fame, it is this peach pie.  It is a mouth-watering, visual stunner.  My friend, watercolor artist Gary Bukovnik, painted my peach pie for a series on desserts several years ago.  With Gary’s painting, “Deborah’s Peach Pie”, my pie has gained some eternalness, dare I say immortality!

     I bake this pie every summer when peaches are at their peak, just about now around the Fourth of July.  My family and friends demand its permanent place in our summer pie rotation.

     Local farmers’ markets and grocery stores are literally brimming with peaches as I type.  Several farmers are offering the variety “Rich Lady”, perfect for this pie.  Select peaches that are ripe but still slightly firm.  If they smell “peachy”, they are ready to eat.

     So, with all this hype, I hope you will try this recipe – it comes together fairly easily as far as pies go.  There is no need to peel the peaches, just quarter them and remove the “freestone” pit within.  As we’re in the midst of a heat wave, you will need to find a cooler time of day to prepare and roll out the pâte sucrée.  (That’s French for sweet pastry crust.)

A few advance tips:

1. Handle the pâte sucrée as little as possible.  Quick and cold are your guides for success.  The dough comes together quickly in a food processor, and may be made in advance, stored up to 2 days in the refrigerator or 1 month in the freezer—tightly wrapped!
2. If your kitchen is warm, say over about 75-degrees, rolling out the pasty on a cool surface (marble pastry board, granite counter top) is recommended.  On particularly warm days, I have been known to lay down a few frozen ice-free packets on my granite counter top to cool it further, before rolling out the pastry.  If you do this, be sure to thoroughly dry off the surface before rolling!  (Additional moisture will create a  glue with the flour needed to “dust” the work surface to minimize the pastry from sticking to the surface.  Glue on the pastry board is a bad thing.)
3. Selecting “freestone” peaches is important.  This indicates the flesh of the peach comes away easily from the pit.  If you happen to find yourself with “cling” peaches, you will have to cut the fruit away from the pit, which may detract slightly from the attractiveness of the finished pie, but not the taste.  If you purchase from a farmers’ market, the vendor should know if the peaches are freestone.  Some helpful produce workers at supermarkets may also know, or be willing to cut a peach in half to see if the flesh easily separates from the pit.
4. The raspberries are my addition to an otherwise unaltered recipe by Martha Stewart.  After making the pie exactly as originally written several times, I added the raspberries to fill in some of the gaps between the peaches.  I think the berries add both visual and flavor appeal.
5. While tempting, do not serve immediately.  The pie needs to cool sufficiently for the juices to thicken slightly before slicing.

Peach and Crème Fraîche Pie

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

FOR THE PÂTE SUCRÉE

1-1/ 4 cups of all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/ 8 teaspoon salt

1/ 2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/ 2”pieces

1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed

FOR THE STREUSEL

1/ 4 cup confectioners’ sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/ 4 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

1/ 4 cup (1/ 2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

FOR THE FILLING

1-1/ 2 pounds (4-5 medium) ripe yellow peaches, pitted and quartered

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

5 tablespoons crème fraîche

1/ 2 cup raspberries, approximate to fill in around the peaches

Preparation:

Make the pâte sucrée:  Pulse flour, sugar and salt in a food processor to combine.  Add butter, process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds; add egg yolk, and pulse.  With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube until dough just holds together.  Turn out dough onto a work surface, shape into a disk.  Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour (up to 2 days).

Make the streusel:  Sift together sugar, flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.  Using your hands or a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to about 1/ 8” thick.  Fit into a 9-1/2” pie plate that is about 1-1/ 2” deep.  Trim edge to 1”, fold under, and crimp as desired.  Pierce bottom of dough all over with a fork.  Transfer to freezer for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400˚.  Cover edge of crust with foil.  Line crust with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.  Bake, covered for 10 minutes.  Remove weights and parchment paper, keep foil around edge.  Bake until pale golden brown, about 5 – 8 minutes more.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly, remove foil; reduce oven temperature to 375˚.

Make the filling:  Put peaches into a medium bowl, and sprinkle with sugar and salt; gently toss to coat; let stand 15 minutes.  Spread 2 tablespoons crème fraîche onto bottom of crust; sprinkle with one-third of the streusel.  Arrange peaches on top, fill in with raspberries as desired; spread or dot with remaining 3 tablespoons crème fraîche.  Sprinkle with remaining streusel.

Bake pie until crème fraîche is bubbling and streusel is golden brown, about 45 – 50 minutes.  Cover edge of crust with foil if it’s browning too quickly.  Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.  Serve barely warm or at room temperature.

P.S.

Here is a photo of me at the gallery where Gary Bukovnik’s series of desserts was presented.  “Deborah’s Peach Pie” is above my left shoulder.  I am holding “Deborah’s Birthday Cake”.  How cool is that!  Thanks Gary!