Every year I look forward to the fruits of summer. It’s my favorite time of year and makes me feel like celebrating with a pie. I found this recipe on Pinterest, created by “Simple as That” and it looked amazing. I was intrigued with the almond crust, I had not tried to make a crust with almonds before. It was really really good. I was also fortunate to find some sweet and flavorful fruit to work with, adding sliced peaches and plums along with dark cherries, blackberries and raspberries. The crust tasted slightly like a pecan sandy cookie and complemented the sweet fruit filling. You can’t go wrong with this pie, try any fruit combination you wish. And don’t worry about the imperfections, it is rustic after all!
Starting with the crust, add 1/2 cup almonds to a food processor and mix until finely chopped.
Almost there, pulse a couple more times.
When the almonds are all chopped, add the flour, sugar and salt. Pulse a few times to mix together.
Add in the butter and pulse until the butter pieces are no larger than pea size. Add 1/4 teaspoon almond extract and 4 – 5 tablespoons of ice water. Pulse after each tablespoon.
When the dough begins to stick together easily, pour the contents into a zip lock bag and mold the dough into a round disc. Chill for 20 – 30 minutes.
While the dough is chillin, blanch the peaches and plums in boiling water for 1 minute then immediately transfer them to an ice bath to prevent them from further cooking. After they have cooled, dry off with a towel, then peel and slice.
You’ll need 6 – 7 cups of any combination of fruit.
In a small bowl combine sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt and cinnamon.
Spritz fruit with lemon juice, then add the sugar mixture to the fruit. This will sweeten and thicken the filling as it bakes. Gently stir the fruit until every piece of the fruit is coated. Set aside to roll out the dough.
Let the dough sit out for a few minutes, it will be easier to roll if it warms up slightly. My buddy Z likes to watch as I roll out the dough. Roll it into approximately a 16 inch circle.
It doesn’t need to be perfect, it’s supposed to look rustic.
Roll the dough onto your rolling pin and gently unroll it into a buttered 10 inch cast iron skillet. Spoon the fruit mix over top.
Gently fold the dough up and around the filling, overlapping when necessary.
Make an egg wash and brush over the crust and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 40 – 45 minutes.
The dough is golden and glistens with little sugar crystals.
And every piece of fruit is a like a bite of heaven!
And there’s my faithful Z waiting on the ice cream that goes with the pie. There’s always an extra spoonful just for Z.
Rustic Summer Pie (adapted from Simple as That)
Almond Pie Crust
1/2 cup Sliced Almonds
1 1/2 cups Flour
2 tablespoons Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Cold Butter, sliced into chunks
1/4 teaspoon Almond Extract
4 – 5 tablespoons Ice Water
Pat of Butter to prep “10 inch” cast iron skillet
Fruit Filling
6 – 7 cups of Fruit (Peaches, Plums, Dark Cherries, Raspberries, Blackberries) or any other summer fruit combination
Spritz of Lemon Juice
1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
Egg Wash, 1 egg whisked with 1 teaspoon water
Turbinado Sugar, for sprinkling over crust
To prepare Almond Pie Crust: Add sliced almonds to a food processor and pulse until almonds are finely chopped. Add the flour, sugar and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse until the butter pieces are no larger than pea size. Add the almond extract and ice water 1 tablespoon at a time pulsing after each addition. Process until the dough begins to come together. Remove dough and place in a zip lock bag. Form the dough into a round disc and chill for 20 – 30 minutes.
While the dough is chilling, blanch the peaches and plums in boiling water for 1 minute and immediately transfer to an ice bath to prevent any further cooking. When fruit is cooled, peel easily with a knife and slice fruit. Add the other fruits of choice making approximately 6 – 7 cups. Combine sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Spritz fruit with lemon juice then gently fold in the sugar/cornstarch mix until every piece of fruit is coated. Set aside.
Let the dough sit out for a few minutes at room temperature. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Prep a 10 inch cast iron skillet by rubbing a pat of butter over the bottom and sides of the skillet. Prepare a working space with a generous sprinkle of flour. Roll dough out to approximately 16 inches. Wrap the dough around the rolling pin and transfer to the skillet and gently unroll the dough onto the prepared skillet. Press the bottom down and allow the excess dough for fold over the side of the skillet. Spoon the fruit into the skillet and gently fold the edges of the dough up and over the fruit overlapping if necessary.
Make an egg wash by whisking 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of water. Use a silicone brush to apply the egg wash over the dough. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
Bake in a preheated oven for 40 – 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and fruit is cooked and juices have thickened. Let pie cool and serve with vanilla ice cream.
Makes approx 8 servings.
An Inspired Cook 