Page 99 - United States of Pie

Southern Peach Pie

Southern peach pies are usually made with canned peaches in
syrup, to ensure a wonderfully sweet pie year-round. This pie uses
fresh. Southern peach pies are typically quite sweet. This one? Not
so much. A Southern peach pie may also be heavily spiced with
cinnamon, maybe even some nutmeg. This pie is delicately spiced

with hardly more than a suggestion of cinnamon. Maybe I should
rename this pie “Southern-Inspired Peach Pie.” Either way, this pie
takes advantage of those few short summer months when fuzzy
peaches hang low off the trees, practically begging us to enjoy them
in all their juicy glory. I will gladly oblige!

1 recipe Cornmeal Pie Dough or Rich and Buttery Pie Dough

½ cup sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of kosher salt
Approximately 2 pounds (7 or 8 medium) peaches, peeled,
pitted, and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices (5 cups)
½ teaspoon almond extract

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into
½-inch cubes

Optional
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 tablespoon turbinado or sanding sugar