K’s Kitchen: Peach pie extends the flavors of summer

By Kathryn Reed

One advantage to a late harvest is being able to buy peaches in September. Normally those sweet nectars of summer are long gone from farmers’ markets by this time of year.

Fortunately, I was able to buy about a dozen from the Perez Red Shack table at last week’s Tuesday market in South Lake Tahoe. (The market will be at the American Legion parking lot through Oct. 11 from 8am-1pm.) However, I was told it’s iffy if they’ll have more today.

Just like the harvest, I continue to be slow in making my usual summer foods. Thursday was the first peach pie of the season. Shame on me. I’ll be regretting that decision until next summer.

I invited friends over so Sue and I wouldn’t eat the whole thing – that, and it’s always nice to spend time with friends.

Kim did the research to know what the best beverage would be. Prosecco was what she wanted to buy, but Raley’s didn’t cooperate, so ended up with another sparkling wine. We all agreed bubbly is a good choice for peach pie.

The peach pie recipe is one my sister, Pam, shared with me years ago. It is originally from Bon Appetite magazine. Although it calls for a crust from scratch, I’m sure store bought would suffice – I would just be disowned by family if I ever bought a crust.

And for whatever, this crust never works well for me. I’m guessing whatever crust you normally use for pie would work fine.

Open-Face Peach Pie

1¾ C all purpose flour

2 tsp sugar

½ tsp salt

½ C (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (salted works fine)

2-3 T ice water (Tahoe tap is cold enough)

3 pounds unpeeled peaches, pitted and sliced

¾ C sugar

½ C all purpose flour

2 T butter, cut into small pieces

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Combine flour, sugar and salt in processor. (The food processor is not necessary. I use a pastry blender — one of those wire things with a handle.) Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. With machine running (or arm whirling), add enough water through feed tube drop by drop until dough just holds together; do not form ball. Turn dough out onto plastic wrap. Press into disc. Wrap and chill at least 1 hour. (Can be prepared three days ahead.)

Coat 10-inch (I always use a 9-inch) pie pan generously with nonstick vegetable oil spray, or butter pan. Roll dough out on lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Fit dough into pan. Trim, leaving 1-inch overhang. Fold overhang back into pie pan. Press edges with fork. Refrigerate shell 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line shell with foil or parchment; fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 10 minutes. Remove foil and weights. Bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 400 degrees.

Arrange peaches in crust. Mix sugar and flour. Sprinkle over peaches. Dot with butter. Drizzle with lemon juice. Bake until peaches are tender, about 45 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Should make 6-8 servings unless you cut a pie like I do, in which case there are fewer servings.