The Break-Up Letter & Peach-Berry Pie

Dear Summer,

We've spent a memorable three months together. We had a great time watching fireworks on the Fourth of July.You worked so hard to make My 31st Birthday special. And I'll never forget seeing Cirque Du Soleil for the first time with you right there. During the past month or so, I think it's become glaringly obvious to the both of us it's just not going to work out.
In short, your hot temperament is too much for me and more than I'm willing to deal with. I deserve better than drudging through the swelter of your unpredictable tantrums.

I've taken the liberty of packing your things: Flowy skirts, those sandals that show off your freshly pedicured toes, and the straw fedora's you love so much.

I know you've heard it through the grapevine, and yes, it's true, Fall and I have rekindled our romance. The truth is, I never stopped thinking about him; His bright and colorful personality, The way he smells like maple in the morning, that butternut squash dish he makes that tastes like home... He's so thankful and giving.

This may sound cruel, but Summer, so were you!

To show you there are no hard feelings, I made this delicious pie to take with you on your way out. It's Peach--your favorite.


Sincerely,

--Ree






















This is my second pie. Since baking the first pie: Here, I fortuitously learned a trick for making no-fail pie crust every time. This is a by-product of a failed attempt at waffle cones (sans a waffle maker) when I made Coffee Cannoli Ice Cream last month.
The method utilizes wax paper and can be used for crust, cookies and anything else that's difficult to roll out without sticking and breaking.


Peach-Berry Pie

Recipes courtesy and Adapted from Joy of Baking and
What's Cooking America

Ingredients Peach Filling:

5 cups fresh peaches (I used about 11 peaches)
1 Cup Sliced fresh Strawberries or Raspberries
1/2 Cup Plus 2 Tablespoons granulated white sugar
3 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca Or corn starch
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon (unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Garnish:

1 tablespoon cream or milk
Granulated white sugar





















'P' is for Peach.
















Shortening-Butter Crust:

2 1/2 cup all-purpose unbleached flour, plus extra for rolling
2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup Plus 1 teaspoon chilled vegetable shortening
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Tools:

Rolling Pin
Wax Paper

To Sprinkle over bottom of crust before adding fruit:

Mix together 1 tablespoon each, flour and granulated sugar. This will help prevent pie filling juices from soaking through bottom of crust.

*Serve pie with softly whipped cream or Vanilla Ice Cream.

To Make Crust:

In standard sized food processor, or large bowl, process, or mix with hand mixer, flour, salt and sugar until combined. Add in shortening and process or mix until mixture resembles coarse sand, approximately 10 seconds. Add pieces of butter over flour mixture and process in 1 second pulses, or mix, turning hand mixer on then off, until pieces of butter are no bigger than small peas. Add 6 tablespoons ice water to mixture and, using a rubber spatula or hand mixer on low, fold in, or mix until just combined. Pinch dough with fingertips to be sure it sticks together, If not, add an additional 2 tablespoons ice water. Do not process or mix more than 30 seconds.
Turn dough onto work surface and gather into ball. Divide dough in half and flatten each into a round disk-like shape. Cover each with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour before using.

After an hour, remove one round of dough from refrigerator. Measure out and lightly flour two equal pieces of wax paper. Place dough, in center, between two pieces of wax paper, begin to flatten round of dough with rolling pin. Give wax paper square a quarter turn after each roll. Roll dough two inches larger than inverted pie plate. (Place pie plate, upside down, over dough to make sure it's big enough.) Carefully remove only top layer of wax paper. Turn remaining wax paper holding dough, so that the dough is facing down, into pie pan. Make sure dough is even in pan. Carefully remove second piece of wax paper, which should be bottom side up. Brush off excess flour. Roll hanging dough under itself to crimp or cut off excess. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Reserve both pieces of wax paper and repeat process of rolling with second dough round, only this time, leave rolled out dough in wax paper and refrigerate until needed.

Immediately start making pie filling.



















To Make Peach Filling and Construct Pie:


To easily remove peach skins, set a large pot of water to boil. Add peaches to boiling water for 30-60 seconds, after 30-60 seconds remove peaches and immediately put into an ice bath (large bowl of ice water). The skin of the peaches should easily peel off by rubbing. Slice peaches in half to remove stone. Cut each half into slices.
Mix together sugar, tapioca OR corn starch, lemon juice, lemon zest and cinnamon in small bowl. In large bowl, add sliced peaches and strawberries or raspberries. Pour sugar mixture over peaches and toss or use spoon to gently combine. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

After bottom half of dough has been refrigerated in pie plate for 30 minutes, sprinkle bottom crust with mixed tablespoon each, flour and sugar mixture.
Add peaches that have been sitting for 30 minutes to prepared pie shell.
Brush edges of dough with cream. Remove flattened top crust from refrigerator. Carefully remove one layer of wax paper. Lift wax paper and turn pie crust over onto top of pie. Carefully remove second layer of wax paper. Roll hanging dough under itself to crimp or cut off excess. Cut slits around top of pie to allow steam to escape.
Brush top of pie with cream and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place constructed pie onto cookie sheet and bake for 45-60 minutes or until top of pie is completely golden brown in color.