Humble Pie

There's nothing humble about the ingredients—delicious peaches and berries—but the simple shaping method for the crust keeps this pie from taking on airs!

Crust
1 3/4 cups Mellow Pastry Blend or 1 2/3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon dried buttermilk powder (optional)
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 egg
tablespoons water

Filling
2 cups fresh or frozen berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc.)
2 to 3 peaches, peeled and sliced
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup Pie Filling Enhancer or King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour


Crust: Whisk together the dry ingredient, and cut in the vegetable shortening and butter. Whisk the egg and water together, then sprinkle over the flour. Knead together, adding a bit of extra water to make the dough cohesive, if necessary. Form the dough into a disk, wrap it well, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Filling: Toss the berries and peaches with the sugar and enhancer or flour. If the berries are frozen, don't thaw them. If they're dry (like blueberries), run them under water first; this makes it easier to combine them thoroughly with the sugar/thickener mixture.

Assembly: Roll the crust into a 13- to 14-inch round, and transfer it to a pizza pan or baking sheet. Mound the sugared fruit in the center of the crust, leaving about a 3 1/2-inch margin of bare crust all the way around. Fold the crust up over the fruit, pinching or pleating as you go, leaving 5 inches or so of fruit exposed in the center. Spritz the crust with Quick Shine or water and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired.

Baking: Bake the pie in a preheated 425°F oven for about 35 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the edges of the crust are brown. Remove it from the oven, and cool for 15 to 30 minutes before cutting into wedges. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

©2004 The King Arthur Flour Company, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.

Comments