Fresh Peach Pie

 

Recipe from Cook's Illustrated, September 2013

Notes: In the pursuit of the "perfect" recipe, CI will often go to great lengths to achieve their desired result. Sometimes it's worth it, sometimes, it's not. For this fruit pie, I would have to say that it's not worth it. Here are the major steps:

• Make special pie dough (not the foolproof vodka-based recipe) that is designed to be used as a lattice top. It has more water, and less fat, so as to be sturdy.
• Macerate diced peaches, drain and reserve liquid.
• Mash some of peaches to make a "paste" to act as a glue in the filling.
• Cook reserved juices with pectin.
• Weave lattice and bake.

Now, I've been known to make cakes with four or five components, that involve several days of prep (for example, this charlotte), but I felt the fussiness of this recipe wasn't worth the end result.

Slices of the pie did indeed hold their shape (which was the whole point of all the extra steps), and it did highlight the fresh peach flavour. But perhaps I didn't use the right peaches (this pie was made with white ones, from the Leslieville Farmers' Market), because it didn't have the fragrance or texture I wanted.

In any case, even for a peach pie that is not a perfect 10, I devoured it greedily. We rented a house in the country with friends, and no one else was really eating the pie, so I probably ate more than ¾ of it!