Slap your mama Peach Pie

I've been searching for a pie recipe, that when people taste it, they want to slap someone.  Well, this is it!  It's a delicious peach pie with a flaky buttery crust and crunchy coated topping that will be sure to please your senses!  The cinnamon and nutmeg spices bring a warmth to your mouth and the sweetness of the peach filling is sure to make you want to slap someone!  It's that good!  Either way, this pie will go down in history as the best peach pie you or your family has ever had! 

 Slap your mama Peach Pie (pictures below)

Ingredients:
4 1/2 C. fresh sliced & peeled peaches (8-10 peaches)
1/2 C. sugar
1/4 C. packed brown sugar
3 T. corn starch
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. salt
2 t. lemon juice (squeezed from fresh lemon)
1 T. butter

Helpful tip #1:  When combining the peaches and sugars, it is helpful  if you allow this mixture to sit for 1 hour.  This will help the sugars breakdown the peaches and this will give you more peach juice.  While this mixture sits, you can prepare your pie crust and topping.

Helpful tip #2:  When using cornstarch to thicken sauces, it can have a tendency to clump.  In this recipe,  it's important that you pour in your reserved peach juices slowly into your dry ingredients, whisking the entire time, until your sauce comes to a boil.  Cook and whisk mixture for 2 minutes until sauce becomes thick. 


To prepare:
-In a large bowl, combine peaches and both sugars (again, it's best to allow this mixture to sit for 1 hour so the sugars can breakdown the peaches, which will extract the juice you'll need for your filling)
-After 1 hour, drain juice from bowl and set aside
-In a small sauce pan, combine cornstarch, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.  Slowly pour in reserved peach juice, whisking the entire time over med-high heat.   Bring mixture to a boil and stir for 2 minutes until thick. 
-Remove from heat and add in lemon juice and butter.
-Fold this mixture into your peaches
-Pour your peach mixture into your crust (see crust recipe below)
-Top your peach mixture with the crumb topping

Bake at 400 degrees for 50-55 minutes until the top and crust are golden brown. 

Crumb Topping
1 C. packed brown sugar
1 C. flour
1/4 C. chilled diced butter ( I use no salt butter)
2 t. cinnamon

To Prepare:
-In a bowl mix flour, sugar and cinnamon
-Mix in your diced butter (I just use my hands and squeeze the butter into the dry ingredients so it's all incorporated)
-Top pie before baking


Pie Crust

Tip:  I chill ALL of my pie crust ingredients before using them.  This includes my flour, butter, salt and water.  The colder your ingredients, the flakier the pie crust.  Trust me.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 C.  All-Purpose Flour
1/4 t. salt
1/2 C. chilled, diced butter (I use no salt butter)
1/4 C. cold water

To Prepare:
-Combine flour and salt onto a prepared work surface (I sift my ingredients onto my surface so the flour is really fine.  This isn't necessary, but I do it).
-Add your chilled, diced butter ( I mix this by hand together but do NOT overwork your mixture)
-Add your cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until your mixture just comes together (again, DO NOT over mix).

The trick to a flaky crust is to NOT over mix this mixture!  So, only incorporate this until the mixture just comes together.  You should see chunks of butter in your dough.

-wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for as long as you can (4 hours or up to overnight)

After refrigerating the dough:
-Generously sprinkle a clean, dry surface with flour and remove the plastic wrap from your dough
-Dust your dough with flour and begin to roll out your dough, starting in the center and moving outward
-Roll your dough into a circle of 1/4" thick or smaller
-Your dough circle should be 2-4 inches wider in diameter than your pie pan
-Once you are finished rolling out your dough, roll up the dough onto your rolling pin and then unroll it over your pie pan
- Use kitchen shears or a paring knife to trim the dough to about a half-inch overhang. 
-You can then fold the half-inch overhang under itself or you can flute the edges of the pie crust together.

Tip:  If you were just to add the peach filling now, your bottom crust would probably get soggy.  Par-baking your pie crust will avoid this.

To par-bake your crust:
-I wrap foil around the edges of my pie dough so the edges don't get too brown
-Heat your oven to 375 and par-bake your pie crust for 15 minutes, or until golden brown to seal the bottom crust
-Then, remove the pie pan and let cool for 3-5 minutes, removing your foil.  Then, add your filling.
-I then brush egg wash on the pie crust edges so they brown nicely.

  
Tip:  I always place my pies on a sheet pan to catch any drippings 

Don't try to lick your screen....  but you are gonna want to!  The best peach pie you will ever taste is 'just an idea' away!  Get cookin'!