Peach and Strawberry Pie

                                    “Once in a while,

                                                 In a big blue moon,

                                                            There comes a night like this.” *

                                                     Another week = another pie night.

When I was told by one of the farmers at our local market that he was planting strawberries for harvest in the summer, I began thinking of strawberries and peaches together in a pie.

Normally our growing season does not include these two fruits appearing at the same time and since the point of this exercise is to use both what is at the market and when it’s at the market, peaches and strawberries don’t normally intersect.

But they have.

It is also the beginning of freestone peach season. Around here that means peach pie time.

This is a simple adaptation of my peach pie recipe, substituting some strawberries for some of the peaches. And yes (I can’t believe I am saying this) you could use some store bought strawberries but they won’t have the same flavor.

Our strawberries were small so some were kept whole while others were sliced in half.

Peaches and strawberries are a delicious combination in a pie but not a common one for us to experience.

“This pie is like Halley’s comet. How long until we see it again?”

 We can hope it’s not 75 years.

Peach and Strawberry Pie

You will need dough for a double crust pie

4 cups peaches, pitted, peeled, and sliced (about 2 ¼ pounds)

1 ½ cups strawberries, stems removed and sliced

½ cup sugar

3 Tablespoons corn starch

egg wash-1 egg mixed with 1 Tablespoon water

1. Peel, pit and slice the peaches and place them into a bowl. Rinse the strawberries. Remove the stems and slice them in half or quarters, depending on their size. Add the sugar and stir. Set aside for 20 to 30 minutes.

2. On a lightly floured surface roll out one piece of pie dough to an 1/8^th inch thickness. Lift and place the dough into the pie dish, fitting it, not stretching it, into place. Place the pie dish into the refrigerator to chill.

3. Heat oven to 450 degrees.                                        

4. On a lightly floured surface roll out the second piece of pie dough. Remove the pie shell from the refrigerator. Brush the edge of the crust with some of the egg wash mixture. Add the cornstarch to the bowl with the fruit and mix until cornstarch has dissolved. Spread the fruit and their juices in an even layer in the pie shell. Top with the second piece of pie dough; trim and seal at the edges and crimp together. Cut a small steam hole into the center of the top crust. Brush the top of the pie with some of the egg wash mixture and sprinkle the top of the pie with some sugar. Place the pie onto a baking tray and place into the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 25 minutes. Rotate the pie and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes, until the pie is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Remove pie from oven and let cool before serving.

*Joni Mitchell  Night Ride Home

                                                                  And, in the end.....