peach, plum & blueberry pie

Pie. I don't know anyone who doesn't like pie. Especially pie made with peak-season fruit, fresh from the farmers market. Last week, I made two: one with peaches, plums and blueberries; the other was with peaches and blueberries. Happy belly? You betcha.

I like pies chock full of fruit. After dipping into my peach stash for some snacks, I realized there weren't enough for my pie so I added in some plums. Typically I make pies with just one or two fruits - max - but this was like a baked fruit cocktail. Since the pie had multiple fruits, I thought the crust should be a bit more playful allowing the different colored juices to poke through the dotted surface.

Depending on the sweetness and juiciness of your fruit, you might want to modify the sugar and tapioca. I lean towards less sugar and less tapioca, I'd rather a more naturally sweet and runny pie to a cloyingly sweet and gelatinous one.

If your fruit is ripe, cut it into eighths. If not super ripe, cut it into smaller pieces. 

Peach, Plum & Blueberry Pie
makes one 9" pie

For the dough:
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour + extra for rolling
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/4" cubes
7 tablespoons, chilled
1/4 cup ice water + 1-2 tablespoons extra, if necessary
2 tablespoons vodka, chilled

For the filling:
6 cups combination of peaches and plums (about 3 pounds), peeled, pitted and cut into eighths or smaller
1 pint (2 cups) blueberries, rinsed and picked over
1/2 cup sugar
1/4-1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoon ground ginger
1-1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice
4-5 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon water, milk or cream
turbinado cane sugar, for garnish

For the dough:
Quickly blend together the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor using the steel blade attachment. Add the butter and shortening. In 5-7 quick pulses, cut the flour until it resembles coarse corn meal - with no butter pieces larger than a pea. If you need to pulse more, do so but be mindful not to over blend. Transfer mixture to a medium-sized bowl. Pour the 1/4-cup water and vodka over the mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold the dough until it's combined. The dough should hold together - barely. If it doesn't, add water 1 tablespoon at a time. Separate the dough into two, one being slightly larger than the other. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

Take the larger disc out of the fridge. Wait 5 minutes, take the other dough out and on a lightly floured surface, roll the larger disc out to a 12-inch circle. Roll the dough around your rolling pin and unwrap over your 9-inch pie pan. Gently lift and press into pan, being careful not to stretch the dough. Leave the overhanging dough and put back in fridge to chill. Roll out the second disc to 1/8-inch thick. Depending on what you want to do with the top, be it solid, lattice, dots, etc. cut the dough into appropriate pieces. Put pieces on a cutting board or cookie sheet and put back in fridge to chill while you prepare the filling. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Move a rack to bottom most rack. Place a cookie sheet on rack. 

In a large bowl, combine the peaches, plums, blueberries, sugar, light brown sugar, salt, spices, lemon zest, and lemon juice, stirring to coat the fruit. Sprinkle on the tapioca and stir again. Let mixture rest for 15 minutes.

Take the doughs out. Fill pie pan with the fruit and juices. Sprinkle the cubed butter pieces on top. Top with the other dough. Leaving 1-inch over hang, trim off excess. Fold both edges together underneath and crimp to seal edges. If you're going with a solid top, cut some slits on top to allow the pie to vent while baking. Put back in fridge for 10 minutes. 

Whisk together the egg and milk. Brush pie top with egg mixture (you'll have extra). Sprinkle turbinado cane sugar all over - be generous. Put in oven for 20-25 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30-45 minutes, until crust is a deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling  - thus the sheet pan! You're welcome. 

Remove from oven, let cool for at least 2 hours on a wire rack. These two hours will save you from burning your tongue as well as allowing the filling to thicken. Enjoy!