End of season sale on local peaches means Spiced Okanagan Peach Pie for dinner

While I was out on a walk in the neighbourhood this afternoon I spotted a bin of fragrant local peaches for only $0.69/pound at Tim’s Fresh Produce on West Broadway. With peach season rapidly coming to a close and company coming to dinner, I went home to make peach pie! (Spiced Okanagan Peach Pie recipe after the jump)

I didn’t have time to make my own pie crust so I bought one. As someone who hates the idea of buying pie crust, I wanted to at least make it look homemade. I think pies have homemade appeal simply by rolling out a store-bought crust and transferring it to your own pie dish. For this recipe you can use your own favourite 9” pie crust recipe or, if you don’t have time or can’t be bothered, buy one or buy two since you need one for the top too.

I have made this recipe many times. The recipe adds a thin layer of graham crumbs between the crust and peach filling. The graham crumbs are excellent at absorbing the runny peach filling and protecting the crust, especially if your peaches are overly ripe (which I love to use in my peach pie!). Personally, I have never been able to keep the bottom crust of a peach pie flakey without using the graham crumbs.

This recipe has been adapted from the original recipe “Fresh Peach Pie” from The Earthbound Farm Organic Cookbook: Food to Live By, by Myra Goodman.

Spiced Okanagan Peach Pie

1 egg white
2 ½-3 pounds of ripe yellow-fleshed, preferably freestone peaches (this came to about 8 large peaches for me). Peel them or don’t. I like to keep the skin on but usually peel them when making the pie for company.
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp pure almond extract
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar (you can add or subtract ¼ cup sugar based on how sweet you like your pie and how sweet your peaches are)
¼ cup cornstarch
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
½ cup graham crumbs

1. Brush the bottom of your dough (placed in a 9” pie plate) with egg white and put it in the fridge for 30min-1hr.
2. Peel the peaches (if desired), cut into 8-10 wedges and place in a medium sized bowl. Add lemon juice and almond extract and toss to coat.
3. Place the brown sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg and cinnamon in a bowel and stir to combine. Add this to the peaches and stir to coat the fruit.
4. Spread the graham crumbs evenly across the bottom of the pie crust (You may find that you need less than a half cup of crumbs). Spoon the peach mixture over the crumbs.
5. Cover the pie with the top crust leaving about a ¾” overhang. Crimp the pastry together. Cut the top with 3 or 4 slits.
6. Put the pie in the freezer while you preheat your oven to 425F (about 15min).
7. Place the pie on a baking sheet to avoid spills and bake for 15min. Reduce temperature to 350F and continue baking until the crust is golden and the peach juice bubbles up through the slits (about 30-40min).
8. Let the pie cool and serve at room temperature with a good quality vanilla ice cream (I love to use the Udder Guys Vanilla Bean ice cream, available at Capers and Greens Market in Kits) . This pie is best eaten fresh but will last in the fridge for 1-2 days covered.

Tim’s Fresh Produce, 2827 West Broadway, 604-738-8629

 

Last modified: September 30, 2011