Fresh Peach Pie

I'm a sucker for fruit stalls!! I pass each one I see with longing glances... I do so want to preserve things!! I want to make my own tomato sauce, preserve spiced peaches, freeze jams galore! But I have to be sensible. There is no way I can haul a car full of food from here to Denver in a few weeks. I just have to hope the produce scene is still hoppin' when I get there, because by golly! Nothing tastes as good as fresh-grown, just-picked, sun-warmed berries, tomatoes and fruits. I'm going to have to unpack my kitchen lickety-split and get to work! Ha, who are we kidding, that's going to happen anyway, produce or not. :)

Luckily we didn't have much planned for dinner on the way back from the cabin, so when I saw a stall with fresh corn I made Stephen pull a U-turn and go get some! Oh, and they also had cantalope, (his favorite) peaches, (Little Stephen's favorite), tomatoes, (my favorite) and blackberries!! (Everyone's favorite!) I skipped the tomatoes though, they just won't get eaten fast enough by lonely little me. All those peaches, and gorgeous big black berries, what to do?? Our hands-down favorite summer dessert. I haven't made it since we've been married, but had it lots when I lived in Missouri, back in those teen years. Stephen's Mom was my second mom, she kind of adopted me. Then again, it must have been nice having a girl around! (Stephen has 5 brothers and 1 sister. He's second youngest.) She made the best fresh peach pie I have ever had. My favorite part is that it isn't cooked! No matter how much you may like peach pie or peach cobbler, you have to admit they lose something in baking. Try this, you may never go back!  

Fresh Summer Fruit Pie
Printable Recipe

Pie Crust:
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Tb powdered milk
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup shortening (or lard, if you're brave!)
3 Tb sugar
1/2 cup ice cold water

Filling:
1 cup sugar
2 Tb cornstarch
1 cup water
a 3 oz. package of raspberry (or strawberry) jello
about 3 cups fresh peaches, peeled and thinly sliced (strawberries, nectarines, etc. would work too)

Pie Crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a pie dish.

Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and powdered milk together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Cream the shortening and butter together till fluffy. Add sugar and mix well. Add flour mixture and water, mix till dough comes together. Divide dough in half. Place half of the dough onto a floured work surface. (For ease of crust-moving and cleanup, I suggest a large, floured sheet of wax paper or parchment)

Put the other half in the fridge or freezer for another use.

Sprinkle flour over the top to keep your rolling pin from sticking. Roll dough out into a circle wider than the top edge of your pie pan.

Using the paper, fold your crust in half, then in half again.

Place the triangle of folded dough in the pie plate with the tip in the middle. 

Unfold into dish, press into corners to make sure there are no bubbles. Trim any extra dough hanging off the edges. Time to crimp! If there are any edges without enough dough to crimp, add some of the trimmed pieces.

Lightly pinch the edge of the dough between your thumb and first finger. Place your other first finger alongside to complete the crimp.

See? The part where it curves in towards the middle of the pie is where your thumb was.

Crimp the edges and prick the bottom with a fork. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove and let cool. (Turn off your oven)

Filling:

Bring sugar, water, and cornstarch to a boil in a large saucepan/pot. Add jello, and bring to a boil again. (Don't use peach jello, it tastes like chemicals when prepared this way. My Mom changed it) Remove from heat and let cool completely. Stir in the fruit, pour into pie crust, and smooth the top. Refrigerate for 3 hours and serve!

All right, first of all, it's just plain lovely. I know I stop and admire the appearance of my baked goods often, but they are pretty!

Trust me, the peaches are the star of this. The whole Jello idea might make you a bit wary, but this does NOT taste like a Jello salad!! I hate Jello salad, so you can believe me. It just makes a nice backdrop against those tangy, juicy, wonderful peaches.

And nice and cool... we whipped up some cream to top it with the next day. Perfect summery dessert!

The blackberries were a huge hit. I put them on for looks mostly, but we decided next time they deserve to be all the way through.

This also happens to be my favorite pie crust. It's perfect for cold pies, and I've tweaked it to be somewhere between a crust and a cookie. Just barely sweet enough that it adds to the pie instead of just holding it, not quite flaky but still light and tender.

We're thinking of trying this next with a mix of raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Doesn't that sound heavenly?? And I bet it would be even prettier! There I go again, all concerned about the outside. But trust me, it's the inside that counts. HA! 

(Forgive me, I couldn't help it...)

*Shared at This and That for Foodie Friends Friday, and On the Menu Monday!