Pie and Pastry Bible (37 page)
Read Pie and Pastry Bible Online
Authors: Rose Levy Beranbaum
Room temperature, up to 2 days.
POINTERS FOR SUCCESS
The nectarines should be ripe but firm so they maintain their texture in a pie. If squishy, they lose their character.
As you slice the nectarines, toss them occasionally with the sugar mixture to coat to prevent them from turning brown.
The liquid must not be hot when added to the nectarines because it could cause the cornstarch to lump.
Be sure to put a sheet of foil under the pie pan, as there is always a little spillover with this much fruit.
For a truly crisp bottom crust, bake the pie directly on the floor of the oven for the first 30 minutes (see page 17).
PERFECT PEACH PIE
F
or me, there is no fruit more desirable than a fresh ripe peach. Keeping this prejudice in mind, I created my peach pie to taste of nothing but peach save for a hint of almond and the scoop of passion fruit ice cream on the side (page 237).
| OVEN TEMPERATURE: 425°F. • BAKING TIME: 40 TO 50 MINUTES SERVES: 6 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| INGREDIENTS | MEASURE | WEIGHT | |
| VOLUME | OUNCES | GRAMS | |
| Flaky Cream Cheese Pie Crust for a 2-crust 9-inch pie (page 30) | | 21 ounces | 595 grams |
| 2¾ pounds peaches (about 8 medium), peeled, pitted, and sliced into 16ths | 6cups (sliced) | 2 pounds 2 ounces 964 grams (sliced) | |
| freshly squeezed lemon juice | 1 tablespoon | 0.5 ounce | 16 grams |
| sugar | ½ cup + 1 tablespoon | 4 ounces | 112 grams |
| salt | a pinch | • | • |
| cornstarch | 4 teaspoons | approx. 0.5 ounce | 2.5 grams |
| pure almond extract | ½ teaspoon | • | • |
EQUIPMENT
A 9-inch pie pan
Make the dough (page 30).
Remove the dough for the bottom crust from the refrigerator. If necessary, allow it to sit for about 10 minutes or until it is soft enough to roll.
On a floured pastry cloth or between two sheets of lightly floured plastic wrap, roll the bottom crust
inch thick or less and 12 inches in diameter. Transfer it to the pie pan. Trim the edge almost even with the edge of pan. Cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 3 hours.
Place the sliced peaches in a large bowl and sprinkle them with the lemon juice. Sprinkle on the sugar and salt and toss them gently to mix evenly. Allow to macerate for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 1 hour.
Transfer the peaches and their juices to a colander suspended over a bowl to capture the liquid. The mixture will release almost 1 cup of juice.
In small saucepan (preferably lined with a nonstick surface), over mediumhigh heat, boil down this liquid to about
cup, or until syrupy and lightly caramelized. Swirl the liquid but do not stir it. (Alternatively, spray a 4-cup heat-proof measure with nonstick vegetable spray, add the liquid, and boil it in the microwave, about 12 minutes on high). Meanwhile, transfer the peaches to a bowl and toss them with the cornstarch and almond extract until all traces of the cornstarch have disappeared.
Pour the syrup over the peaches, tossing gently. (Do not be concerned if the liquid hardens on contact with the peaches; it will dissolve during baking.) Transfer the peach mixture to the pie shell.
Roll out the top crust large enough to cut a 12-inch circle. Use an expandable flan ring or a cardboard template and a sharp knife to cut the circle.
Moisten the edges of the bottom crust with water and place the top crust over the fruit. Tuck the overhang under the bottom crust border and press down all around the top to seal it. Crimp the border using a fork or your fingers (see page 13) and make about 5 evenly spaced 2-inches slashes starting about 1 inch from the center and radiating toward the edge (see page 14). Cover the pie loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 1 hour before baking to chill and relax the pastry. This will maintain flakiness and help to prevent distortion.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. at least 20 minutes before baking. Set an oven rack at the lowest level and place a baking stone or baking sheet on it before preheating. Place a large piece of greased foil on top to catch any juices.
Set the pie directly on the foil-topped baking stone and bake 40 to 50 minutes or until the juices bubble
thickly
through the slashes and the peaches feel tender but not mushy when a cake tester or small sharp knife is inserted through a slash. After 30 minutes, protect the edges from overbrowning with a foil ring (see page 19).
Cool the pie on a rack for at least 3 hours before cutting. (The pie will still be warm after 4 hours.)
STORE
Room temperature, up to 2 days.
POINTERS FOR SUCCESS
See Nectarine-Raspberry Pie, page 121.
UNDERSTANDING
Concentrating the peach juices before baking keeps the pie juicy and requires only a small amount of starch to bind them.