Summer Peach Slab Pie Recipe
Sinkology is proud to present Emily Schuermann, our food-loving guest blogger who runs Food for a Year. Emily is here to share some recipes she has created exclusively for the Sinkology blog that reflect her view of a copper sink: simple, timeless, affordable and beautifully rustic.
Although we have a slew of summer days ahead of us, I am already daydreaming about football season. Even though I am as committed a fan as you will meet ((born & bred in the hometown of my team)), my thoughts are a lot less about plays, rankings and big games and a lot more about queso, baked dips, hand-held desserts & wings. But before I get myself entrenched in game day recipes, I have to pay tribute to one of my most favorite summer-time treats :: fresh peaches.
These particular peaches were harvested from my very own peach tree. After watching the peaches mature over months, I am guessing you can imagine just how VERY satisfying it is to be able to turn them into a pie. This year’s harvest amounted to “one pie’s worth of peaches”; it was meant to be.
For this dessert, I started off by making my favorite pie crust recipe. A pinch of cinnamon and sugar makes this crust the perfect partner to my peaches. Because I set my sights on “SLAB” pie, I rolled both halves of this double pie crust recipe into a rectangle, just a few inches larger than my baker.
I love this simple pie crust recipe for two reasons :: it’s fool-proof & deliciously flaky. Par-baking ensures a crisp bottom that easily releases from the pan when serving.
While the crust is par-baking, it’s time to make the pie filling. These fresh peaches only need a sprinkle of ground cinnamon & nutmeg, a pat of butter, a pinch of salt and a scoop of cane sugar.
The filling is thickened with a scant tablespoon of cornstarch & flour mixed with a few tablespoons of the peach juice. To keep from creating a gluey peach filling, drizzle the thickening mixture into the simmering peaches a tablespoon at a time. Stir and allow it simmer a minute before adding additional thickener. Keep in mind, the pie filling will continue to thicken while baking in the oven, so a saucy consistency works best.
The par-baked, flaky cinnamon crust filled with sweetened fresh peach filling is ready for the top layer of crust. I decided to add a lattice pie crust top to my slab pie. True confessions – this is my first attempt at a lattice pie. I am happy to tell you, it wasn’t hard at all!
A few dollops of butter and a hefty sprinkle of turbinado sugar is all that’s left before sending it to the oven for it’s final bake.
Isn’t is gorgeous? The bubbly filling, flaky lattice crust and that sweet, slightly spiced peach aroma were too much to bear.
I think this is one of those times that a picture really is worth a thousand words (and maybe even a thousand calories). That juicy peach filling, the sweetness of my homegrown peaches, pie crust that not only tastes like grandma whipped it up but it ALSO released from the pan — all topped off with a scoop of French vanilla ice-cream from our local dairy. The very best of summer on a plate.
Now I can officially start planning for football!
You may be wondering what peach slab pie has to do with a copper sink. I am not sure anything can taste more like “home” than a bite of warm, fresh out of the oven, scratch-made peach pie. And for me, a copper sink is home. It’s not often that one can talk about a sink and relate it to home – unless that sink is copper. Not only have I scrutinized and studied the details of a life with a copper sink, several years ago I purchased two and installed them in my kitchen and guest bathroom . My farmhouse copper sink and my simple ring-handled vessel add a warmth and comfortable ease all the while bringing noticeable beauty. Ultimately, I credit them ((and peach slab pie)) for helping to turn our house into a home.
- 3 c. flour
- ¾ c. shortening
- pinch of salt
- 1 t ground cinnamon
- 2 t sugar
- ¾ c. cold butter
- ¾ c. cold water
- ¾ c. flour
- 4 c. fresh peaches, peeled & sliced
- dash of kosher salt
- ½ c. sugar, (more or less to taste)*
- ¼ t ground cinnamon (more to taste)
- ¼ t ground nutmeg (more or less to taste)
- 4 T butter (divided)
- 1 T cornstarch
- 1 scant T flour
- Preheat oven to 400°. Prepare crust** by combining flour, salt, sugar, cinnamon and shortening in a medium mixing bowl. Work by hand until the mixture is the consistency of sand, with some larger pieces throughout. Grate the butter into the flour mixture and toss to coat. In a separate bowl, combine the ¾ c cold water with ¾ c flour, stirring to form a paste. Pour the paste over the butter/shortening mixture and gently work with your hands until a ball of dough is formed.
- Press the dough into a large rectangle, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Meanwhile, prepare the peach filling by combining the fresh sliced peaches, salt, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg & butter in a medium saucepan. Bring to a low simmer. Remove 4 oz of juice and combine it with the cornstarch & flour, forming a slurry. Stir to remove all of the lumps.
- Gently stir the peaches while pouring the slurry into the filling. Stir and bring the peaches back to a low simmer. Once the sauce thickens slightly, remove from heat, set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
- While the peach filling is cooling, cut the pie dough in half. Roll one half of the dough out on a piece of parchment into a rectangle, approximately 2" larger (in each direction) than your pie pan. My pan measured 8" x 11", so I rolled my dough into a 12" x 15" rectangle.
- Drape the dough into the pan, pressing the sides & bottom firmly into the pan. With a fork, prick vent holes into the crust (both sides & bottom) and bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.
- Prepare the remaining half of pie crust dough in the same manner as described above. Cut the pie dough sheet into 1" wide strips. Once the pie crust has par-baked, pour the peach filling into the crust and begin forming the lattice topping. A single, vented sheet of pie crust dough can be used in place of a lattice top.
- One the top is in place and the edges are neatly crimped, top with dollops of remaining butter and a sprinkle of turbinado sugar. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Serve warm with ice cream.
- Serves 8
- *depending on the moisture & sugar content of your peaches, more or less sugar may be required. Taste before pouring into the pie pan and add additional sugar if necessary. After tasting, I ended up adding an additional ¼ c. of sugar.
- **for more detailed pie crust instructions, click the link at the bottom of this recipe card. Keep in mind that the slab pie crust ingredients have been increased by 50% to accommodate a larger baking pan.
For more recipes from our copper-loving foodie, check out our blog. If you have any questions about copper or copper sinks, our Sinkologists are here to help. Contact us or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Houzz, Pinterest, or Instagram for helpful tips, recipes, and design ideas.