The time is Ripe for a Summer Fruit Pie. This delicious melange of Peaches, Nectarines, Blueberries and Cherries is enough to send a lover of fruit to Nirvana. When selecting the peaches and nectarines, be sure they are not too soft. Firm yet ripe is the best way to describe what condition the fruit should be in. No need to take the skin off the peaches and nectarines as the skin melts away during baking. A little trick I learned from a dear departed friend oh so many years ago. Thank you Ruthie Smith.
For more summer fruit desserts check out:
Strawberry Shortcake
Peach and Blueberry Clafouti
Cherry Clafouti
Summer Fruit Crostada
Summer Fruit Crostada
Summer Fruit Pie
Makes One 9” Deep Dish Double Crust Pie
1 Recipe Pate Sucre
3 Medium Size Peaches, Ripe But Firm, Skin On, Sliced ½” Thick
3 Medium Size Nectarines, Ripe But Firm, Skin On, Sliced ½” Thick
1 ½ Cup Fresh Blueberries
1 ½ Cup Pitted Fresh Cherries, Sliced in Half
½ Cup Granulated Sugar
¼ Cup All-Purpose Flour
¼ Cup Corn Starch
1 Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
2 Tablespoons Cold Unsalted Butter Cut into Small Pieces
1 Large Egg Beaten with 1 Tablespoon Cold Water for Egg Wash
Coarse Sanding Sugar for Pie Top
Preheat oven to 425°. Place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
In a large bowl combine the Peaches, Nectarines, Blueberries, Cherries, sugar, flour, cornstarch and sea salt. Toss until well combined. Set aside.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of pate sucre into a 11” to 12” circle approximately 1/8” thick. When rolling, add a little flour to the top of the pastry so the rolling pin won’t stick. To make a evenly round circle when rolling make a quarter turn with the pastry. In other words, give a few rolls over the pastry, lift the pastry off of the rolling surface and turn it to the right 90 degrees. Do that three times while rolling and you will have a perfect circle. Gently roll the pastry up onto the rolling pin and lift over the top of a 9” deep dish pie dish and roll out. Gently press into the pie dish. You should have about a 1” overhang.
Place the fruit mixture into the pastry-lined dish evenly distributing the apples. This will allow for more even cooking. Pour any juices that may be in the bottom of the bowl over the top of the apple mixture. Dot the apple mixture with the 2 tablespoons of cold butter pieces. Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash.
Roll out the second disk of pastry in the same manner as the first. Place the rolled pastry over the fruit. Seal the edges by trimming with a scissor. Press the edges decoratively with your thumb and forefinger.
With a sharp thin knife make a whole in the top of the pie to let out the steam while it cooks. You don’t want it to explode in the oven – and believe me, it will if you don’t vent the pie. Brush the top of the pie with the egg wash and sprinkle with the sanding sugar.
Place the pie on a sheet pan with holes (such as a pizza pan) lined with parchment paper. Bake the pie for 15 minutes at 425° and turn down the oven temperature to 375°. Bake the pie for 1 hour more or until the top is nicely browned and the juices are bubbling. You will see some of the juice leek out of the pie on the side. If the crimped edge of the pie is browning too quickly during baking make a foil circle to wrap around the edge.
Remove from the oven to a wire cooling rack and let the pie cool completely before serving.
Enjoy the Summer Fruit. It will be gone sooner than we think.