When it’s high time for fruit pies, head for the peaches. A good peach pie can make you famous, I think, and if you want to know why, just taste the first bite. I used to take the time to peel peaches, until a first-rate baker I know told me that she never did. I’d assumed that peeled peaches were better, but as long as the skins are tender, it doesn’t matter.
Makes one 9-inch pie
Basic All-American Pie Dough for a 9-inch two-crust pie (page 20)
⅔ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 pounds peaches, halved, pitted, and sliced ⅓ to ½ inch thick, to make about 7 cups prepared fruit
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Roll out half of the dough for the bottom crust and fit it into a 9-inch pie pan. Roll out the remaining dough for the top crust and set it aside on a sheet of waxed paper.
In a large bowl, stir together ⅔ cup of the sugar, the flour, nutmeg, and salt with a fork or whisk until evenly mixed. Add the lemon juice and peaches and toss until the fruit is completely coated with the sugar mixture. Pile the peaches in the dough-lined pan, mounding them slightly in the center. Scatter the butter over the fruit.
Put on the top crust, then trim and flute the edges (see page 22). With the point of a sharp knife, cut several vents in the top for steam to escape.
Bake for 25 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F. Bake for another 15 minutes, then rapidly sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar over the top of the pie. Continue baking for about 15 minutes longer, or until the crust is golden brown and you see juices bubbling through the vents.
Serve warm or at room temperature.