Peach Blueberry Pie

This peach blueberry pie may be the best pie I’ve ever made! 

It’s shocking for two reasons.  One, because I’m out of practice making pies.  Two, because my oven decided to stop working midway through the baking time.  I didn’t even realize it was broken until hours later when I went to preheat the oven for dinner and it never got past 100°F. 

Suddenly, everything made sense.  How I kept having to add 10 minutes to the baking time over and over again, because the pie filling still wasn’t bubbling the way it usually does when it’s done.  How I kept checking to make sure that when I reduced the heat from 425°F to 375°F, I didn’t accidentally press 75°F.  Because it really didn’t feel too hot in there.  How the whole house didn’t smell like PIE!!!!, but merely pie.  And how I finally gave up and stuck it under the broiler to get the top nice and brown instead of a waxy shade of beige. 

Yes, any combination of these things should have set off warning bells, but no.  I was all, it’s been a while since I’ve made pie.  Maybe they don’t really smell that good?  Perhaps now that summer is waning, I’ve lost all ability to sense heat?  Anyway, I guess the secret to an awesome pie is to bake it fast and furious at the beginning and then long and sloooooow at the end.  You heard it here first, Chris Kimball.

The peaches and blueberries are from Carver Hill Orchard in Stow, where we went peach-picking on Saturday.  Unlike our cherry-picking extravaganza earlier in the summer, this expedition involved a ridiculous amount of whining and misbehavior from the kids.  So much as to render it almost not enjoyable at all.  But the payoff came in the form of pie.  Sweet, sweet solace. 

Peach Blueberry Pie

If anyone wants some, come to my house by noon tomorrow or it will be gone.

Crust
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
12 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
8-10 Tbsp. ice water (or more)

Filling
3 lb. fresh peaches (about 5 large or 7 small peaches)
1 cup blueberries
1/3 cup brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar, plus 1 Tbsp. to sprinkle on top
¼ cup flour
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into cubes

For the crust, mix flour, sugar, and salt in food processor.  Add cold butter and pulse in 1-second beats until butter is the size of small peas (around 20 pulses).  Dump mixture into a large bowl and add ice water, a few tablespoons at a time, fluffing with a fork until gently absorbed.  You don’t want it wet and sticky, but if there’s too much dry flour, the dough won’t come together right.  It should just hold together when you press on it.  Don’t knead or it will become too tough.  Tear off two pieces of plastic wrap.  Dump a little over half of the dough mixture in the middle of one, and the rest in the middle of the other.  Flatten the mixture into disks about an inch thick, then wrap them up, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 425°F.  Set a large pot of water to boil.  Dunk the peaches in the boiling water for about 30 seconds, then submerge in ice water.  Peel off their velvet cloaks.  Cut into thin wedges, discarding the pits.  To the bowl of peaches, add the washed blueberries, brown sugar, white sugar, flour, lemon juice, vanilla, and nutmeg.  Mix it up and set aside.

Flour your counter and rolling pin well.  The dough shouldn’t stick at all.  Take the larger disk and roll it out about ¼-inch thick, about a foot in diameter.  Roll from the middle out in all directions.  Don’t grind the dough down into the counter—push it out to the sides.  If the dough sticks, sprinkle more flour.  Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish by lifting the edge of the dough over the top of the rolling pin.  Gently lift and push until the dough is draped over the rolling pin (a bench scraper or even a spatula under the dough really helps).  Align over pie plate and gently unfurl.  Make sure it’s centered, then brush bottom of dough with beaten egg (this seems to help keep the crust from getting too soggy). 

Pour in the fruit.  Dot with cubes of butter.  Roll out second crust the same way, only slightly smaller.  Using a pastry wheel or sharp knife, cut thin strips for a lattice topping.  Arrange strips like so.  Fold over edges of bottom crust and crimp however you like.  Brush crust and lattice with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.  Place pie plate on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.  Reduce heat to 375°F and bake until bubbly and crust is richly caramelized, maybe 30-40 more minutes if your oven is functioning properly.  Keep an eye on the crust—if it starts to brown too much, cover with foil.

Let cool until warm.  Serve with vanilla bean ice cream.

Comments

[Marianne]

Thanks! My Husband has been asking for pies, but I am out of the pie-loop as you were. As the plane won't make it in time until the pie is gone in your house, I will definitely try to make this myself. I have blueberries in the freezer (American variety) but have to get peaches. And lucky me, they are ripe at this time here in Egypt!

[Sally]

Tammy - That looks soooooo good! I'm ashamed to admit that pies (read:crusts) are my downfall. I have never been able to make a really good crust. I think I mess with it too much. Your's looks perfect! Sorry about your oven...they just don't make stoves like they used to. But, on the upside, now you can get a new stove! :)

[Phantom Scribbler]

I've been lurking ever since I arrived here trying to figure out what to do with a bag of money beans (the answer involved a lot of ketchup, alas), but the pie motivates me to come out of the woodwork. Wow, that is gorgeous.

I have peaches. I have blueberries. I have a working oven. Hmmmmm. No one in my family would actually *eat* a peach-blueberry pie, but why should that stop me?

[Alecto]

Oh, yum! And we have an excess of both fruits at the moment.

[Rebecca]

Gorgeous! Peaches are so good right now. I am totally envious. Stick it in an envelope already! ;)

[Dad]

Funny how this pie appeared AFTER I was there on Saturday! Just coincidence. right?

[Helen]

I sympathise with your oven problems. Mine packed up too recently - I was halfway through cooking and it just stopped, no heat whatsoever although it took me at least an hour to notice - which is worrying...

[Tammy]

Helen: Sounds like exactly the same thing. Was it a burned-out ignitor, by chance?

Dad: I'd be happy to pencil you in for extra babysitting!

Rebecca: Thanks! Your soggy package is on its way.

Alecto: So good.

Phantom Scribbler: Thanks for delurking! On the contrary, that's the best kind of pie-making situation. A pie all to yourself.

Sally: I've finally gotten better at pies. I think I was voted least likely to be a pastry chef at culinary school, but what I lack in talent I make up for in heart. And I heart pie.

Marianne: Oooooo, Egyptian peaches. Why do those sound so much better than American ones? Must be the pyramids in the background.

[Tarah]

Mmm, I love the contrary of blueberries and peaches together. The smell is amazing I bet to. Great photos by the way! You've made me hungry!

[Sophie]

You did a fantastic job on that lattice, it's beautiful! :) Great pie!

We'd like to invite you to participate in our September apple and peach recipe contest. All competitors will be eligible to win one of three prizes :)! Please email me, sophiekiblogger@gmail.com, if you're interested.

Feel free to check out our blog for more details: http://blog.keyingredient.com/2008/08/29/september-kick-contest/

Thanks :),
Sophie
KI Chief Blogger

[Emily]

I WANT SOME!!!

but I want never gets.. and I'm guessing it's already been *tommorrow lunchtime* ?

This pie truly does look delicious - I can't believe you missed out on the PIE!! smell, though - it comes second only to the PIE!! taste ;)

Loving the blog, 2 years, that's amazing! I've only recentlyish started mine. Visit it if you like, I think the URL comes with my comment?

Emily