Just Peachy

Sometimes you just can't beat doing things the old-fashioned, basic way.  That's how I feel about peach pie.  Peaches usually speak for themselves and don't need a lot of fancy ingredients to compete with them in a pie. When I got a case of peaches with our produce co-op basket this week, I was excited to make the first peach pie of the season.  I knew just who we needed to invite over for the peach pie too.  Ken is an attorney who is kind enough to volunteer his time in the court where I work, and has been a big help to me there - he has also told me that his favorite kind of pie is peach.  So Ken and his wife Kristen and their adorable little children came over to share this pie.  Our faithful friends Mary and Curtis dropped in and had a slice of pie with ice cream too.  Before our guests arrived, my 16 year-old daughter sneaked a taste of the pie and said it was the most amazing pie she had ever eaten.  That made all my time peeling and slicing peaches totally worth it!  I made this pie on a very hot afternoon, which made me feel crazy for turning on the oven, but we completely enjoyed visiting on the porch as the evening cooled down.  Try making this pie - I think you'll love it too!

Peach Pie

Pastry for a double-crust deep dish pie

3/4-1 cup sugar (depending on the sweetness of your fruit)

5 Tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

8 fresh peaches, peeled and sliced

Juice of one half lemon or lime

1 1/2 Tablespoons butter

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.  Roll out half of pastry and put into pie pan.  Roll out other half of pastry and set aside.

Place the sliced peaches in a large bowl and add the lemon or lime juice to the fruit.  Mix together the dry ingredients and carefully stir in to the peaches.  Pour peaches in to the pastry lined pie pan and top with the butter (cut into small pieces).  Place top pastry over the pie and trim and flute the edges.  Cut vents in the top crust.  Brush top with ice water then sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar if desired.

Bake at 425 degrees for 40 minutes, or until peaches are tender and crust is browned.