An Inspired Cook

Another year, another birthday pie! Every summer I make myself a peach pie, cobbler or crisp with different variations of crusts, toppings or sometimes pairing peaches with berries. A couple month’s ago I came across a recipe for “Apricot, Blue Corn and Pecan Crisp” from FarmersMarketNM.org with an amazing topping that I couldn’t resist. It reminded me of my “Peach Pie with Pecan Crumble”, that I made a few years back, but with a new twist. The most delicious peach pies starts with summer ripened peaches. In my experience, mid to late July is the best time to start finding those juicy, flavorful peaches that taste so good. And then you have to decide what kind of topping, whether it be a traditional crust or a crumble topping made with oats and flour, butter, sugar and nuts. This topping with blue corn flour has a slightly different texture; you may find it more grainy than using all purpose flour but it has a hint of saltiness in the topping that tastes so good with the sweet peaches. Add a dollop of vanilla ice cream and you will have the perfect summer dessert!

Make the blue corn and pecan crumble first. I like to make this ahead of time, cover and refrigerate until time to top the pie. Los Chileros Roasted Blue Corn Flour is easily available here in Albuquerque. If you can’t find it where you live you can order it on their website: Los Chileros Roasted Blue Corn

In a mixing bowl combine blue corn flour, oats, turbinado sugar, cinnamon and salt.

Slice chilled butter into small pieces and add to the blue corn flour/oat mix. Use a pastry cutter to blend the butter in with the mix to make a crumble.

It should look crumbly with the butter pieces no larger than pea size.

Add the chopped pecans and stir until they are well combined.

Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate.

For a 9 inch pie you will need approximately 6 large peaches or 2 1/2 pounds. Heat water in a large pot filled about 2/3 of the way up.  When it begins to boil, drop your peaches gently into the water so as not to splash. Turn off the heat and let them sit in the hot water for 1 minute.

Lift them out with a slotted spoon into an ice water bath to stop the cooking process.  

The skin is now easy to peel.

Slice the peaches and spritz with lemon juice.

In a small bowl, add sugar, all purpose flour, tapioca and cinnamon. Whisk the mixture until it’s well combined. This will sweeten and thicken the peaches as they cook.

Fold the sugar/flour mix into the peaches until they are coated.

Spoon the peaches into your prepared pie crust. You can make your own pie crust or use a store bought pie crust. I like the pie crust recipe from Cooks Illustrated Foolproof Pie Dough.

Sprinkle the pie with the blue corn and pecan crumble. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 45 – 50 minutes. Take some aluminum foil or a pie crust shield to drape around the edges of the pie crust. Remove the aluminum foil after 35 minutes of bake time.

When you see the peaches begin to bubble around the edges and the topping is crisp then it is ready to take out of the oven. Let cool completely before slicing and serving.

Serve with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Peach Pie with Pecan Crumble (Inspired by the recipe Apricot Blue Corn and Pecan Crisp by FarmersMarketNM.org)

Makes 1 (9 inch pie)

2 1/2 pounds ripe Peaches
1/2 cup Sugar
2 tablespoons All Purpose Flour
1 tablespoons Tapioca
1 teaspoons Lemon Juice
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
Pie Crust, recipe for Cook’s Illustrated Foolprooof Pie Dough or can use store bought pie crust

Blue Corn and Pecan Crumble

1/4 cup Unsalted Butter
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Blue Corn Flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Oats
1/4 cup Turbinado Sugar
1/4 cup Pecans, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

To make crumble:  Combine flour, oats, turbinado sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl.  Slice butter into small pieces and cut in with a pastry cutter until the topping becomes crumbly. Stir in the roughly chopped pecans.  Top the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in refrigerator until time to top pie.

To make pie filling:  Heat a large stockpot with water filled about 2/3 of the way. Blanch peaches in boiling water for 1 minute.  Transfer to ice water bath to stop the cooking process.  Peel peaches and remove pits.  Slice into thin slices and place in a large bowl.  Add lemon juice to peaches, stir.  Combine sugar, flour, tapioca and cinnamon and add to peaches.

Roll out the pie crust for a 9 inch pie and transfer to the pie plate. Center it and gently press into the pie plate and press the edges.  Refrigerate if not using immediately.  

Fill the pie crusts to the top with peach pie filling and top with pecan crumble.  Make an aluminum foil pie shield or use your own to keep the outer crust from browning too quickly.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.  Remove the pie shield the last 10 minutes of bake time.  Let cool.

Serve with Vanilla Ice Cream