Monthly Archives: July 2002

Peach Pie

by Viola Reasor

Pastry (by Ladies’ Home Journal)

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup cold unsalted butter (no substitutions), cut into ½-inch cubes

¼ cup vegetable shortening, chilled

1/3 cup orange juice

1 ½ to 2 tablespoons cold water

Filling

4 cups peaches

¾ cup sugar

4 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon almond extract

Make Pastry: Whisk together flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt in a large bowl. With pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. With fork, gradually stir in orange juice and 1 ½ tablespoons water. When dough begins to come together (adding remaining ½ tablespoon water, if necessary), turn dough out onto surface and gently press into a disk. Cut in half and shape into 2 disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour. (Can be made ahead. Refrigerate up to 3 days.)

Make Filling: Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl.

Arrange oven rack in lower third of oven. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place on oven rack. Heat oven to 425°F.

On a lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll one pastry disk out to an 11 ½-inch circle; fit into 9-inch pie plate and trim pastry ½-inch wider than edge of pie plate. Freeze 5 minutes. Arrange one layer of tightly packed peach wedges, spoke-fashion, in prepared pie shell. (This will prevent empty space between peaches and crust.) Repeat with remaining peaches, stacking the layers until the pastry is full. Pour any juices lefty in bowl over the fruit; dot top with butter. Roll remaining pastry into a 10-inch circle. Cut out three flowers (or whatever design you want) with a cookie cutter. Arrange dough over peaches. Gently press cutouts on top of pie; trim and flute edges.

Place pie on hot cookie sheet; bake 25 minutes, until edge of crust is golden. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F. Cut a vent in center of piece of foil; cover pie. Bake pie 38-40 minutes more, until top is golden and filling is bubbly. Uncover and cool completely on wire rack. Makes 8 servings.