I've often wondered why "easy as pie" ever became an expression. Maybe it started out as "easy as pie filling" and then shortened form there. Because of all the desserts, pie certainly isn't the easiest, not if you're rolling out a double crust, anyway.
As a kid, I always dreaded when my mom would roll out pie crust. You had to tread lightly around the kitchen on those days, never knowing what quite to expect. Because, even for an experienced and very good baker like her, pie crust can be problematic. It's temperamental. It has a different consistency depending on the weather. And when it doesn't cooperate it can be absolutely maddening.
This past Thanksgiving, I thought I'd try my hand at making an apple pie. I set to work in the kitchen on a rainy evening and put together a lovely crust dough. Then came the time to roll it out. It stuck. Stuck to the board, stuck to my roller. I tried again, to the same result. I chilled it again and came back to it. Once again, the pie crust was hopelessly sticky. By this point, I knew that I'd handled the dough too much for it to be anything but tough once baked. I tossed it out and made a new batch. Again, it stuck. I scooped up the pie crust, thudded it against the counter, rest my hand atop it and released a breath I had heard countless times during my childhood. I sounded exactly like my mom.
But, then, of course, I do not have the reserve she has. I tilted my head back and let out a primal scream of utter frustration.
"Everything okay in there?" I heard from the living room.
"Well," I responded, "I think I'm gonna make an apple crisp instead."
And so I did, in addition to a beautiful pumpkin mousse tart which, mercifully, has a graham cracker crust. Everyone was happy and no one was the wiser.
But just because I'd been defeated by pie crust once didn't mean I'd thrown in the towel completely. I've made countless pies over the years. So, after a trip to the Farmer's Market over the weekend, I decided I'd try my hand at a peach blueberry pie.
And you know what? Even thought it was a humid day, this time, I emerged victorious.
Peach Blueberry Pie
Pie Crust Ingredients:
This recipe is the Pâte Brisée pie crust recipe from the Joy of Cooking and it is, in my opinion, the perfect pie crust recipe.
2 1/2 cups flour, sifted
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 sticks cold, unsalted butter
1/4 cup cold shortening
6 tablespoons ice water
Instructions for pie crust:
Whisk together salt and flour in a large bowl. Then cut in the butter and shortening, first using either a fork or your fingertips, and then using two butter knives. If you have a pastry cutter, this would be even better.
When it starts to come together, sprinkle in the water and continue to cut together until it is combines. Divide the dough into two balls and flatten into salad plate sized disks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled.
Pie Filling Ingredients:
6 ripe peaches, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
juice of 1/2 a lemon
3 tbs flour
1 tbs butter broken into little pieces
Instructions for pie filling:
In a large bowl mix together all of the ingredients except for the butter and set aside for about 15 minutes while you roll the pie crusts out.
Assembly:
Preheat oven to 425.
Roll out one disk and place in the bottom of a glass pie dish. Roll out the other crust and then fill the one in the dish with the pie filling. Dot the top of the filling with butter. Cover with the other crust and crimp the edges however you like. Then, vent the top with a few cuts into the pastry, brush with a little milk if you want and sprinkle the top with a little sugar.
Bake pie for 55-60 minutes until it is golden and bubbly. Depending on your oven, you may want to cover the edges of the pie with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes so they do not brown too much. (I think I will do this next time!).
Cool pie on a rack completely. Serve room temperature, with a little ice cream or whipped cream if you like, or plain.
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