Peach Pie You Can Eat for Breakfast
I went a little peach crazy this summer. The harvest in the Northeast seemed particularly good this year. The peaches were exceptionally juicy and full of flavor. Perfect for jam, punch, and pie. I’ve never shared this pie recipe before even though my mother has been making it since before I was born. It is from her friend Sandy and there is a small secret ingredient that sets it apart from all the other peach pies I’ve ever tasted. The ingredient elevates the peach flavor without overshadowing it. Once you add it to your peach pie you’ll never make one without it again.
We made two of these over the course of my stay in Cooperstown. The peaches were so ripe it seemed like a crime not to! I packed as many peach slices into each pie as possible to keep it extra thick. I also followed the advice of my friends the Deans of The Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits and ate it for breakfast. Since it is essentially a giant serving of fruit it was the perfect thing to serve with a robust cup of coffee laced with cream. Right? Right.
So, make this recipe tonight and enjoy it for dessert with lots of vanilla ice cream. Then again tomorrow morning, for breakfast.
Ingredients
- For the Crust:
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, cut into piece
- 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
- For the Filling:
- 8 large peaches, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- To make the crust: Add the flour, sugar, and butter to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Pulse a few times until the butter and flour have formed small pea-sized balls. Working slowly, add the water, pulsing after each addition, just until the dough comes together. You might not end up using all of the water. Divide the dough in half and pat each half into a round disk about 1-inch thick. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
- To make the pie: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a large bowl combine the peaches, sugar, cornstarch, lemon, salt, and almond extract. Stir well, being careful not to break the peaches, until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated and the cornstarch is no longer visible.
- Roll one pie crust disk out to be 11-inches in diameter and place it in a 9-inch pie plate. Add the peach filling. Roll out the second disk to be 11-inches in diameter and carefully drape it over the pie. Trim the edges of the crust and pinch the edges of the top and bottom crust together. Make a few slit in the top of the pie so the steam can escape. Bake the pie for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the pie is hot and bubbly.
- Allow the pie to cool for at least 4 hours, then slice and serve.
