The peach, native to China, was first brought to the Americas by Spanish explorers in the 16th century. It is said that horticulturist George Minifie brought the first peaches from England to its North American colonies in the early 17th century. Despite President Thomas Jefferson having peach trees growing on his estate, commercial production of peaches didn’t begin until the 19th century in Maryland, Delaware, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia. Like with other fruits, it probably didn’t take much time before early bakers created a pie recipe using peaches. Pies came to the United States through early English settlers, who brought the culinary tradition of fillings encased in pastry. Pies in the United Kingdom were, and remain, mostly savory meat pies, yet in the US, the fruit pie reigns supreme. Peach pie is popular around the country, best made when peaches are ripe and in season. The dish is associated with Georgia, where peaches are the state fruit.
Recipe Servings: 10
+ 2 hours resting
Ingredients
Crust:
Filling:
Directions
- Mix together the flour and salt in a large bowl.
- Add the butter. Rub and pinch the butter into the flour using your fingers to coat the butter pieces and form small pea-sized balls.
- Create a well in the center of the mixture and add the water, mixing it together using your hands.
- Pull away walnut-size pieces of dough and smear them using the heel of your hand. This technique is called fraisage, and it helps produce flaky layers.
- Form the flattened pieces into a ball. Split the ball in half and form it into two disks. Wrap each disk separately in plastic wrap and chill them in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and place the dough on a floured surface.
- Roll a floured rolling pin from the center of one of the dough disks to the edge rotating the dough until the circle is an ⅛ inch thick and 12 inches in diameter.
- Repeat this process with the second disk of dough; however, make it 10 inches in diameter.
- Wrap the larger dough around the rolling pin and lift the pin over the edge of a 9-inch glass pie pan. Gently unroll the dough over the pan. Lightly press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Place the peaches in a large bowl and sprinkle them with lemon juice, mixing gently.
- Mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Pour the dry ingredients over the peaches, mixing gently.
- Pour the mixture into the pie crust.
- Sprinkle the butter over the pie.
- Brush the pie’s rim with beaten egg and unroll the second sheet of dough over the pie.
- Press down on the rim lightly to adhere the top crust to the bottom crust. Trim off any excess dough using a paring knife. Fold edges under to form a thick edge.
- Crimp the edge of crust by placing two fingers on the crust’s outside rim while placing one finger on the inside and pressing outward to form a V. Another option for the edge is to press the dough together using the tines of a fork dipped in egg.
- Brush the remaining egg over the crust. Use a knife to cut several 1-inch long slits in the crust to vent steam.
- Bake the pie for 10 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350°F and continue baking for 30–35 minutes or until the crust is brown and the juice begins bubbling through the slits. If the crust appears to be browning too quickly, cover it with strips of foil.
- Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving it warm.
For Crust:
For Filling:
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