Peach Pie — The Other Pie on Gloria’s Table

Second week of August and Tyler has come to Prattville three Sundays in a row now, which means he has been to Gloria's three Sundays in a row. They have settled into something, the three of them, the way people settle into arrangements that work. Tyler helps James with small things around the house without being asked: he noticed a loose porch board and fixed it in twenty minutes while James watched approvingly and did not say a word, which is James for I appreciate this. Gloria feeds him extra and asks about work and calls him Tyler without ceremony, which from Gloria is warmth.

I made my first pecan pie from Debbie's recipe this week, the one she gave me after Tyler told her about my bourbon version. Hers uses dark corn syrup instead of light and a bit more salt, and the method is essentially the same but the result is distinctly different: darker and more complex, with a slight savory edge that I have been trying to understand in my own recipe for years without knowing it was the extra salt all along. I brought it to Gloria's and set it next to my version on the table and said which one. James tasted both without comment. He said hers. I said I know. I made notes.

Having two pecan pie traditions is a strange and specific kind of abundance. I am not complaining about it at all.

With two pecan pies already claiming their territory on Gloria’s table, I figured the only reasonable thing to do was bring a third pie entirely. It’s second week of August, the peaches at the stand on Route 6 are almost embarrassingly good right now, and a peach pie felt like the right way to round out a Sunday spread that’s already more generous than any of us deserve. James didn’t rank this one against the pecans. He just asked for a second slice, which said enough.

Peach Pie

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• Pastry dough for a double-crust 9-inch pie
• 6 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced (about 8 medium peaches)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• 1 tablespoon coarse sugar (for topping)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven. Heat oven to 400°F. Place one pastry round into a 9-inch pie plate and gently press it into the bottom and sides. Trim edges to a 1/2-inch overhang.
2. Prepare the filling. In a large bowl, combine sliced peaches, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Toss gently until the peaches are evenly coated. Let stand for 10 minutes.
3. Fill the pie. Pour the peach mixture into the prepared crust, mounding slightly in the center. Dot the top with the small pieces of butter.
4. Add the top crust. Place the second pastry round over the filling. Trim, fold, and crimp the edges to seal. Cut 4–5 small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
5. Apply egg wash. Brush the top crust lightly with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
6. Bake. Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 28–30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling through the slits.
7. Cool. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. This allows the filling to set properly.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 365 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 54g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 210mg