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Pie
Crust:
In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process
until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture looks like coarse
crumbs (about 15 seconds). Pour 1/4 cup
(60 ml) ice water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube
until the pastry just holds together when pinched. If necessary, add
more water. Do not over process or the pie crust will be tough.
Turn the pastry onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Divide the
pastry in half, flatten
each half into a disk, cover with plastic
wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour, or until firm. (This
will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.)
Peach
Filling: Meanwhile,
place the peaches into a large pot of boiling water for about 30
seconds to 2 minutes or until the skins soften (the time will depend
on the ripeness of each peach). Immediately transfer the peaches to a
large bowl of ice water (this stops the cooking process). The skins
should now slip easily off the peaches. Cut the peaches in half,
remove the stones, and cut the fruit into thick slices or chunks.
Place the peach slices in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice.
Then gently stir in the sugar, tapioca, and salt. Cover the bowl with
plastic wrap and let stand, at room temperature, for about 30 minutes
so the peaches have time to release their juices, the sugar can
dissolve, and the tapioca becomes nice and plump.
Meanwhile, after the pastry has chilled sufficiently,
remove one portion of the pastry from the fridge and
place on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a
12 inch (30 cm) circle. (To prevent the
pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep
lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from
the center of the pastry outwards).)
Gently roll the pastry around your rolling pin
(brushing off any excess flour as you roll) and transfer to a 9
inch (23 cm) pie pan. Tuck the overhanging
pastry under itself. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place back into
the refrigerator until chilled.
Then remove the second round of
pastry from the refrigerator and roll it into a 12 inch (30 cm) circle. Transfer
to a parchment lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the
refrigerator until chilled.
Preheat the oven to 400
degrees F (200 degrees C)
and place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
Remove the pie
crust from the refrigerator and gently pour in the peach filling.
Dot with the butter. Moisten the
edges of the pie shell with a little milk or water and then place the top
crust over the peaches. Tuck any excess pastry under the bottom crust
and then crimp the edges using your fingers or a fork. Using a sharp
knife, make 4 - 2-inch (5 cm) slits from the center of the pie out
towards the edge of the pie to allow the steam to escape. With a
pastry brush, lightly brush the top crust with a little cream and
sprinkle with granulated white
sugar.
Bake the pie for
about 50 - 60 minutes or until the crust is a deep golden brown color
and the juices are bubbling and thick. If the edges of the pie are
browning too much during baking, cover with a foil ring.
Place the baked pie on a wire rack
to cool for at least an hour before serving. Very good with
vanilla ice cream. Leftovers can be covered and stored for a couple
of days at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Makes one 9 inch (23 cm) pie.
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