I am not an American still I like pies! Apple, peach pies and from my Houston days the pecan pie of Texas, are my favorites. One of the new recipes that I tried for my friends visit last weekend was baking a lattice topped peach pie. Lattice topped pies are the prettiest pies of all I think. They look so delicate and so delectable, you just want to rip off the lattice top and devour.
Though the traditional American pie is made with enough butter that a ordinary Indian would eat in a year, I designed my pie keeping health in mind – reduced the butter quantity in pie shell drastically, still it came out great. The base was like thin crust pizza pie base, and the peach fruit topping – I read that peaches are the kind of fruits that would come alive with touch of heat. I picked peach filling mainly for that reason and I agree, they tasted great after baking. And the lattice top – it was fun to weave the top.
Both Vijay and I, we are the offspring of silk and cotton weavers, so it didn’t take long for us to figure out how to weave the dough strips, and also Barbara’s post helped me a lot. Thanks Barbara. All and all, even with shortcuts, the pie came out good, I imagine just like a traditional rural pie would; firm-flaky crust that tasted little more than browned butter and flour and a peach filling that was naturally sweet and juicy. A blue ribbon winner for sure.:) If you are interested to try this recipe, please keep in mind that peach pie is little bit acquired taste, also depends entirely on the quality/ripeness of peaches.
Recipe:
(for 9-inch pie pan)
Prepare the dough:
2 cups of all-purpose flour (sifted),
Quarter cup of cold, solid butter finely chopped and
1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt –
Take them in a vessel. Mix (rub) the flour with butter pieces and adding few drops of cold water inbetween – prepare a tight dough. Cover the dough and keep it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the fruit filling.
Fruit filling:
6 to 8 ripe peaches – peel, cut and remove the seed. Slice the fruit into thin pieces lengthwise
Quarter cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of corn starch (added to absorb the fruit juices and to prevent saggy base)
1 teaspoon of limejuice
Take sliced peaches in a vessel; add sugar, cornstarch and limejuice, toss to mix. (Because this fruit mix could ooze lot of juice with time, mixing with sugar etc., do it just after you roll out the pie shell.)
Rolling out the dough:
Remove the pie dough from the refrigerator. Divide it into two portions, ¾ and ¼ part, the big one for pie shell and the small part for lattice top. Roll the big portion of dough into a big round that would fit the pie pan. Lift and place neatly into the pie pan.
With the remaining small portion of dough – roll it into another big round. Cut the dough into thin strips lengthwise with a sharp knife. Make a lattice weave following the instructions here. (Do you remember how folks back home weave cotton rope layers for sleeping cot? Same thing here, quite easy.) I did it on the back of wax paper covered steel plate; it was easy to place the lattice top on the pie.
Assembling and baking:
Fill the pie shell with fruit slices neatly in a level, to the top. Carefully place the lattice weaved dough strips onto the fruit pie. Brush the top with milk and sprinkle some sugar on top.
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the pie pan on a flat big baking sheet and bake at 400F for about 20 minutes and then at 350F, for about 30 minutes, until the top turns to golden brown and fruit inside becomes soft and juicy. Do not underbake.
Remove and cool. Slice and serve.
Lattice Topped Peach Pie – Ready For Baking
Baked Pie Removed to a Plate to Cool
Peach Pie
Traditional American apple pie – Recipe in images.
How to weave lattice top for pies – Barbara’s post here.
wow , looks simply yummy…yet complicated.
hmm..I see I’m the first to comment..so let me take this moment to appreciate your interest, patience and presentation of recipes in this site. U do a wonderful job of it.
Btw…I’m Sushama and I’m from Hyderabad , n I find a lot of your recipes and food items very similar to what I make at home. neways…wonderful pie and appreciable presentation
Comment by sushama — July 12, 2006 @ 1:52 pm
That looks so yummy….can’t wait to have a bite =)
Comment by Mukul — July 12, 2006 @ 1:52 pm
Glad to know a fellow Telugu Ammayi. Thanks Sushama.
Mukul – thanks.
Comment by Indira — July 12, 2006 @ 2:08 pm
I have always been turned off baking pies because of the lard and the eggwash that almost all recipes call for. Yet again you have inspired me to expand my culinary horizons!
But I do have a mental block against cornstarch..any ideas for a substitute?
Now I’m waiting for the day you will bake an eggless quiche:) with that special Indira touch
Comment by Janani — July 12, 2006 @ 2:31 pm
Wow, good job Indira, i love weaving a lattice top than actually eating it. I love the mellowy, gooey feeling in the mouth you get with peach pies. Good choice !!!! I kind of feel that the desserts of this world belong to everyone, atleast all have a common ingradient,sugar !!!!!
Comment by Archana — July 12, 2006 @ 2:39 pm
I know, I rarely buy pies from grocery shops mainly for that reason.
Tapoica (sabudana) and taro root flours work fine in place of corn starch, I read in some websites.
Eggless quiche, love to try. Any recipe links?:)
Thanks Jananai.:)
Archana: Oh no, the reason for baking this pie is I like the sugar sprinkled, crispy lattice top. 🙂 They are like baked pretzels for me.:)
Don’t you love peach pies. Thanks Archana.
“I am not an Indian still I love spicy food” – I wrote my post along that lines and I agree sugary desserts are for everyone.
Comment by Indira — July 12, 2006 @ 2:54 pm
The lattice top peach pie looks great!! So did u also buy the pastry cutter to make this lattice weave just like Barbara’s or used a plain old knife Indira?
Comment by BDSN — July 12, 2006 @ 3:21 pm
I like pies a lot esp apple and pineapple pies. Making a pie at home is pending for long time. After seeing your pie, i can’t wait more. Have to try. Great job indira.
Comment by sudha — July 12, 2006 @ 3:40 pm
Knock knock…open the door Indira…you have a guest..I am in columbus,oh….each recipe of yours is so tempting, beware of this uninvited guest anytime ok…just kidding 🙂
Comment by Kerala Girl — July 12, 2006 @ 4:26 pm
I have never tried making a pie. Making the pie crust is a little intimidating for me. After seeing your beautiful pics and detailed description, I’m planning to give it a try.
Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Pavani
Comment by Pavani — July 12, 2006 @ 4:40 pm
Haha! Well, I am an American and I don’t really like pie. 😛 I love the filling, but somehow my sister doesn’t like it when I scoop out and eat the filling leaving her perfect pie crusts on the plate.
Comment by Amy — July 12, 2006 @ 4:51 pm
Hi Indira,
That was a yummy looking pie.All your dishes look very appetising and I like the way you present them.Great job!!!
I like all the authentic Andhra Vantalu that you publish.Makes me nostalgic.
After seeing your site, I started to think about starting a blog and finaly I did.Iam kinda’ excited.It would mean lot to me if you visit my blog.
Thanks,
Kiran.
Comment by Kiran — July 12, 2006 @ 5:05 pm
That’s indeed a well woven pie!!….Feel like taking a bite!!…Unfortunately, I have never felt confident of my baking skills to try your recipe 🙁 So rather have to satisfy myself virtually feasting on u’rs!!
Comment by shynee — July 12, 2006 @ 5:30 pm
Nice looking pie, Indira… VERY nice! Actually the strips look like “ribbon pakoda” to me – now I’m craving both pie AND ribbon pakoda! 😀
Comment by shammi — July 12, 2006 @ 5:35 pm
Ah, a golden pie, browned to perfection! May I have a slice, p(l)each?
Comment by Terri — July 12, 2006 @ 8:49 pm
A very good looking pie Indira. The lattice reminds me of ‘charpai'(woven cot) weaving that we had back home. I am not sure if ‘charpais’ still exist.
Comment by krithika — July 12, 2006 @ 9:57 pm
That’s a most beautiful looking pie, and yes with the practice i’ve had with weaving coconut leaves, I’m sure I can do this with some ease LOL
Do the peaches have to be really ripe for this??
Comment by Nandita — July 12, 2006 @ 11:50 pm
Hi Indira,
Yummy mouth watering pies.!!Lovely pictures!!
Comment by menutoday — July 13, 2006 @ 6:21 am
Beautiful, Indira :). It looks wonderful and I’m sure it tastes just as wonderful, too.
I like a touch of cinnamon in the filling as well, maybe a hint of brown sugar. Tasty!
Comment by Jenn — July 13, 2006 @ 8:31 am
The pie looks delicious. And a great description. Makes me want to try it too…
Comment by Mandira — July 13, 2006 @ 9:22 am
wow.. they look yummy….cant wait to taste them
Comment by Suja — July 13, 2006 @ 11:20 am
Great looking pie, Indira! I see you are like me and don’t like a lot of sugar in your pies. I think that too much sugar obscures the flavor of the fruit, which is the main reason for pie. The second reason is the beautiful crust.
I am glad my post inspired you and helped you learn how to make a woven lattice crust–it really is easier than it looks, isn’t it?
Comment by Barbara — July 13, 2006 @ 12:26 pm
Hi Indira,
I have been following all your posts and your blog has inspired me to start my own. 🙂
Your peach pie looks irresistible! I love pies and wanted to make one myself. Your post has made that very easy.
Tommorrow is my wedding anniversary and I am going to make your wonderful pie. 🙂
Thanks much!
Comment by Chandrika — July 13, 2006 @ 3:28 pm
Thanks for your comments, you all.:)
BDSN: Thanks.
You can tell by looking at the edges of dough strips. Mine are very straight and I used a sharp knife to cut the dough.
Sudha: thanks. Pineapple pie, that I’ve never tried before.
Kerala Girl: Columbus, not that far. Come on by anytime, my friend.:)
Pavani: Usually recipes for pie crust use upto 2 sticks of butter or shortening. When you prepare with that amount of fat, really there is no way it’s going to turn out bad.:)
Hi Amy: .:), finishing up the pie filling and leaving the crust – sounds like a sister’s act.:)
Kiran: Thanks for the invitation and best wishes for your new blog.
Oh Shynee, baking is quite easy when comapred to our kind of cooking. Give it a try, start with banana-nut or date-nut cake recipes. My firstever baking items are those two and they really came out good and that gave me the confidence to try out other baking things.:)
Thanks.
Shammi: I remember your recipe for ribbon pakoda. Yum!:)
Terri: You said p(l)each and Kittaya heard you and said meow. Comeon by anytime, you cute darling.:)
Krithika: Thanks.
Charpai – is it Tamil or Marathi? we call the woven cot – “navara Mancham” in Telugu. We still use woven cots for slepping at our homes.
Hi Nandira: yep, otherwise they comeout like cardboards, tough and leathery.:)
Thanks MT.
brown sugar and cinnamon, I will remember that. thanks Jenn.
Hi Mandira: This is my first time baking a pie and I used a lot less fat for piecrust, still it came out decent. Give it a try.:)
Thanks Suja.
Barbara: Your clear description really helped me a lot. Thanks Barbara.
Yes, I don’t like to add sugar more than necessary for desserts. Tough to spend the extra sugary calories.:)
Chandrika: Congratulations and happy anniversary.
Best wishes for your new blog and thanks for your nice words about my blog.
My pie recipe is really very conservative both in sugar and butter quantites. Please adjust those two to your taste and don’t foget to use only ripe peaches for this pie. Do let me know how you like this recipe, if you try. Thanks Chandrika.
Comment by Indira — July 13, 2006 @ 3:28 pm
Hi Indira,
Very good website to learn cooking
Many many thanks.
Your husband & kids are very lucky.
Keep it up.
Sudha.
Comment by sudharani — July 18, 2006 @ 10:50 pm
I love the lattice look, and peaches make it yummy all the way 🙂
Comment by musical — March 27, 2007 @ 3:05 pm