Friday is Pieday...Ain't That Just Peachy !

Hello friends...thanks for coming back for more pie. Starting in June our local markets will be offering orchard fresh peaches. The first peaches of the season normally come from California, but I prefer to wait for our local peaches here on the east coast. Until they are ripe I will have to be satisfied with frozen or canned. For this weeks pie we are going to bake a Rustic Peach Crostada. A crostada is a free form type of fruit pie, which is very easy to create and looks wonderfully homemade. It is the perfect pie to bake as a beginner pie or to have your children help with. No pie pan or top crust and crimping to mess with. Let's get started...

You will need:

1. 4 cans sliced peaches in juice (not heavy syrup) drained

2. 1/4 cup granulated sugar

3. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

4. 2 TBL cornstarch

Pie Crust Recipe at Sidebar...for this recipe we use 1/3 Crisco & 1/2 cold butter (no margarine)

Crumb Topping:

1. 1 cup all purpose flour

2. 1 cup packed light brown sugar

3. 1 stick cold butter-diced

4. 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Place all topping ingredients in a bowl and cut together with a pastry cutter or large fork. Do not use your hands, as that will melt the butter. You want the butter to be chunky.

In a bowl mix the drained peaches, cornstarch, sugar and cinnamon..set aside.

Prepare your crust according to my directions (see side bar to left)..remember for this pie we will be using 1/2 cup chilled & cubed butter (1 stick) and 1/3 cup crisco. . It is very important not to melt the butter if you want flaky crust. The pockets of butter will heat and melt in the oven and when they do they will release steam which in turn will make air pockets which will create the flaky layers in your crust....see, I threw in a little science....;-) You want to see chunks of butter in your dough.

Roll your dough out into a rough circle..no need to be precise, this is a rustic farmhouse style crust. Pile your peaches in the middle of your crust. Leave at least 3 inches all around the edge. 

Spoon your crumb topping onto the peaches...pile it on and don't be skimpy.

Fold your outside edges up and over the peaches, leaving the center exposed as in the photo above. Hint: I rolled my dough onto a sheet of parchment paper and then just slid that onto my baking sheet.  Brush the crust with a beaten egg white and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake in a 425 degree preheated oven for about 25 min or until golden and bubbly. With canned peaches, you are really just cooking the crust. Cover with foil if needed to prevent over browning.

This is what your Peach Crostada will look like...all flaky, golden and delicious. 

 

I love all the sweet crunchy topping that adorns the top of this crostada.

Yeah...one more photo to make your mouth water...I'm such a tease...;-)

Of course I had to serve mine with frosty cold peach ice cream on the side. My brother in law loved it so much, he took two pieces home with him. Crostadas are so versatile and can be made with just about any seasonal fruit. If you want to impress your dinner guests, just serve up a fruity rustic crostada on a wooden cutting board and listen for all the Oooo's and Aaaah's. What could be easier? I hope you decide to try this recipe, I know you will become a crostada fan.

 Until next time...be kind and stay creative. Please come back again next Friday for Pie!