Smash those peaches! Really. Get the best ones, the tree-ripened ones, and smash a few to cook up as a glaze that will hold the remaining fresh, uncooked slices together in a crisp crust. Oh! So good.

Smashing Fresh Peach Pie

Prep Time: 35 minutes + time for glaze to cool, then chill finished pie for 2-3 hrs
Baking Time: 12-16 minutes for the single crust
Serves: 8
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Ingredients

Pastry dough for 9”deep dish single crust

1 egg white, whisked until frothy

1 c. mashed, peeled ripe peaches (measure after mashing)

5 c. sliced, peeled ripe peaches

2-3 T. lemon juice

2/3 c. sugar

6 T. water

2 T. orange juice

3 T. cornstarch

dash salt

1/8 t. almond extract

Optional but recommended: Cream for whipping with sugar, vanilla

Directions

Line 9” deep dish pie pan with the pastry and crimp the edges. Prebake at 450° to a golden brown. As soon as it comes out of the oven, lightly brush the inside of the crust (bottom and sides) with the frothy egg white. Set aside to cool completely.
In a bowl, gently toss the 5 cups of sliced peaches with the lemon juice. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and spread the peaches out on that surface. Top with another layer of paper towels and gently dab the peaches to absorb excess moisture. Let the peaches rest there, draining, while you prepare the remainder of the filling. (Keep the bowl handy.)
In a medium sauce pan, mix the sugar cornstarch and dash of salt. Blend in the water and orange juice. Blend in the mashed peaches. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the mix comes to a soft boil. Continue cooking and stirring for 1 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract.
Transfer half of the mix to the bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature. Allow the remaining glaze to cool in the pan.
Stir sliced peaches into the glaze in the bowl, just to coat, then spread them in the pie crust. Spoon the remaining glaze evenly over the top of the peaches.
Chill thoroughly, 2-3 hours. Top with whipped cream to serve, if desired.

Baker’s Notes and Tips and Tricks

Use a pastry brush (or grab a clean little paint brush from your kid’s paint set) to gently apply the egg white. Applying this thin coat, which will cook from the heat of the crust coming out of the oven, will help make the bottom crust stay crisp (even though the filling is juicy). Pie is best enjoyed within a day, but how could that be an issue?