PIE-EYED - fruit pies - Recipe

Vegetarian Times, July, 2000 by Ken Haedrich

Summer fruits are heaven for the baker--and her lucky dinner guests

Have you ever noticed how most of life's problems seem a little less pressing in the company of a summer fruit pie? The season itself might have something to do with it; everything seems more laid- back when it's hot. But there's something about a slice of fresh fruit pie that can really take your mind off things. Bank account down to double digits? How can you worry about money when you're staring a warm peach pie in the face? Kids driving you crazy? Nothing a wedge of fresh blueberry pie can't fix. Global warming, crooked politicians, gas prices through the roof.... Later, perhaps, but right now, would you mind passing that strawberry tart?

Summer fruits--brilliant berries, peaches heavy with juice, plump apricots and plums--produce pies that are everything they are meant to be: soul-satisfying, evocative of Mom and home and other things that make us feel safe and warm and loved. While waiting for a pie to bake, we become so enraptured with the aroma that we're tempted to yank the pie from the oven and dig in before it's done.

The best fruit pies are generally the simplest ones. That means ripe fruit, just enough sugar (or other sweetener), lemon juice to enhance the fruit flavor and maybe a pinch of spice--but not much else. The crust can be double, or single with a crumb top--there's something to be said for each. A double crust means twice as much of a good thing, but a crumb top is always a crowd-pleaser.

Even if the crust only plays a supporting role, the success of a pie depends on its pastry. Contrary to what you might think, making a pie crust is easy. It requires no special skills or equipment, beyond a good rolling pin and a little practice. There are also more pastry options than you might realize: traditional butter pastries, no-butter pastries and pastries made with whole-wheat flour. Each tastes wonderful and can be used interchangeably with all your fruit pies.

So make your way to your local market and check out the produce. Bring home a bag full of something ripe and sweet, plunk it into a crust and pop it into the oven. Family and friends will appear out of nowhere. And when you do finally dig into that first luscious wedge of a summer fruit pie, see for yourself if life doesn't seem just a little more carefree.

Blushing Peach Crumb Pie

8 TO 10 SERVINGS EGG-FREE

This has such a beautiful pink color you want to take a picture of it. Everyone loves the whole-wheat and oat topping. Plan to buy two half-pints of raspberries to get enough for the recipe.

1 batch Basic Pie Pastry or Dairy-Free
  Oil Pastry (see recipe)
4 cups peeled, halved, pitted, sliced
  peaches (4 large)
2 cups raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca
Finely grated peel of 1 lemon
1 1/2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Wheaten oat topping

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup instant or regular rolled oats
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter,
  cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1. On sheet of lightly floured wax paper, roll out pastry into 12 1/2-inch circle. Line 9-inch deep-dish pie pan with it, sculpting edge into stand-up ridge. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 400 [degrees] F. Place baking sheet on center rack of oven.

3. In a large bowl, combine peaches, raspberries, sugar, tapioca, lemon peel, lemon juice and nutmeg. Mix well. Let stand 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoor fruit filling into chilled crust and smooth top. Place on baking sheet and bake 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, make topping. In food processor, combine flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and salt; pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse repeatedly until mixture resembles fine meal. Transfer to medium bowl and rub with fingers until large crumbs form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

5. After 30 minutes, remove pie from oven and evenly spoon topping over fruit. Press down lightly to compact. Reduce temperature to 350 [degrees] F and bake until juices bubble, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool. Pie will slice best if you wait until it is barely warm.

PER SERVING: 431 CAL.; 5G PROT.; 18G TOTAL FAT (11G SAT. FAT); 65G CARB.; 47MG CHOL.; 174MG SOD.: 4G FIBER

VARIATION: For a coconut topping, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut or flaked sweetened coconut to the flour-oat mixture after transferring mixture to medium bowl and when rubbing it to form large crumbs.

Basic Pie Pastry

MAKES 9-INCH DEEP-DISH SHELL EGG-FREE

One of the most important steps in making trouble-free pastry is refrigerating the dough before rolling it--for 45 to 60 minutes to firm up the butter. Less than that and it will be sticky; much more and it will get too firm. To prepare enough pastry for a double-crust pie, it's best to make two single recipes rather than one large batch of dough in the food processor.

1 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter,
  cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 1/2 Tbs. ice-cold water