Ending Summer on a Sweet Note: Perfect Peach Slab Pie!

Thank you Ashley Laverock for sharing this delicious recipe with us!

Baking has been such a comfort during this COVID summer: the manual labor of kneading a dough or mixing a batter, the sweet smells of sugar baking, the satisfaction of cutting into a flaky crust, and the reward of the perfect first bite. The last couple of weeks, the peach has been the star ingredient! 

Our latest haul from the Neighbors Community Market (don’t forget to stop by Neighbors Feed & Seed on Saturdays, https://www.neighborsfeedandseed.com/) yielded a delicious slab pie. Try it out!

Peach Slab Pie

This recipe is inspired by Joanne Chang’s Strawberry Slab Pie in Pastry Love (2019). Chang’s pâte brisée crust recipe is effortless and bakes into beautiful buttery layers. It should definitely be used!

Double-Crust Pie Dough (adapted from Joanne Chang’s Pastry Love (2019), p. 439. Get your copy at: https://www.amazon.com/Pastry-Love-Journal-Favorite-Recipes/dp/0544836480)

Makes enough for one double-crust slab pie in a 9 x 13 inch (quarter-sheet) pan. Halve the recipe if you make a 9-inch round double-crust pie.

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoon granulated sugar 

2 teaspoon salt (I use kosher salt) 

2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces

4 large egg yolks, room temperature 

¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons milk  

Peach Filling Ingredients

2 lbs fresh peaches (about 6), pitted and thinly sliced (you can peel if you’d like, but I don’t)

1/3 c. sugar

5 Tablespoons cornstarch 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 egg – for egg wash

2 tablespoons of coarse sugar (like turbinado)

Instructions

Begin by making the crust dough:  

1.     In a stand mixer, with paddle attachment, briefly combine flour, sugar and salt. 

2.     Add butter and paddle slowly until the mixture holds together when clumped and the butter is in almond-sized pieces. This should only take a minute or two. 

3.     Combine egg yolks and milk in a small bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Add to the flour/butter mixture and combine briefly until it just comes together. The mixture will be very messy and shaggy. 

4.     Turn the dough out onto a clean, floured work surface and bring together into a mound. Using the heel of your hand, push into the top of the mound and slide your hand down and away (a kind of smearing action calledfraisage). Repeat, working around the dough, until it comes together but you can still see streaks of butter. 

5.     Bring the dough into ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and press into a thick disk. Let the dough rest in the fridge for at least an hour. 

6.     After the dough has rested, remove from the fridge. Let it sit for about 15 minutes before using. 

Prepare the crust: 

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.     Divide the dough in half. On a floured work surface, roll out about half the dough into a rectangle ¼ inch thick and about 12 x 16 (large enough to line bottom and sides of your quarter-sheet pan). 

3.     Line the pan with the dough, pressing into the corners. Dock with a fork. Let the pie crust rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.  

4.     After the dough has rested, remove from fridge. Line with pie weights and blind bake until the edges are golden and the surface is matte. If the center of the crust still looks a bit shiny (buttery) put it back in the oven for 5-7 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

5.     On a floured work surface, roll out the other half of the dough into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick and about 9 x 13 (large enough to cover the top of the pie). Refrigerate until you are ready to use. 

Prepare the filling and assemble: 

1.     In a large bowl combine sliced peaches, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt. Toss gently to coat the peaches.

2.     Fill crust with the peach mixture. 

3.     Drape the rolled-out dough over the pie, trimming any overhanging and slitting the dough to allow steam to escape.

4.     Wash crust with egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar. 

5.     Bake for about 40-50 minutes, until the crust is dark golden brown (you don’t want soggy bits) and the peach filling is bubbling! 

6.     Remove from the oven and let the pie cool for 2 hours, to allow the fruit to set up, before eating. 

7.     Enjoy with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream! 

This pie will keep in the fridge for about three days. Warm it up before eating! Feel free to shake things up by adding a bit of ginger and lemon zest to the peaches or a dash of cinnamon. Let us know if you’ve tried the pie and how you made it your own! Happy baking!