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The Girls of summer, aka Peaches!

I have a southern girl heart, so peaches and summertime are, literally, my jam. We have great summer fruit in California but it all seems to show up at once. Surprisingly, finding the perfect peach can actually be a challenge.

There are the farmers that pick early because they know they have buyers that are anxious to get the first peaches of the season. You can buy but they will sit on your counter to ripen further. Then there are the farmers that pick way too late into the season. These peaches are overripe and not as sweet. These peaches are great for a jam or even a syrup.

Right now, in the middle of July, is the perfect time for the perfect peach. There are endless recipes to help yours them up. My favorite way to enjoy a peach is sitting on a porch on a hot day with the juices running down my chin. This is perfect way to take a beak on a summer day.

Today I am giving you two recipes. One for a fresh peach pie and another for a peach tahini tart. The peach pie is all mine but the crust is inspired by my friend Ellen Gray and her blog https://www.nomoremrnicepie.com.

The peach tahini tart is an adaptation of a recipe that was on The Kitchn. I love the idea of combining tahini and peaches. I just wanted more.

I hope you enjoy these recipes. As always please let me know what you think and beside to give me a follow on Instagram, @whiskinthesouthern.

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Fresh Peach Pie

Does it get any better, thatn fresh peach pie in the summer. I borrowed the crust recipe from www.nomoremrnicepie.com
Course: Endings
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

All Butter Pie Crust

  • 2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbs. salt
  • 1 Tbs. granulated white sugar
  • 16 Tbs. cold, unsalted butter equivalent of 2 sticks of butter
  • 6 Tbs ice cold water may need up to 8 Tbs.

Peach Pie Filling

  • 5-6 large yellow peaches, rinsed, peeled, pitted and sliced into thick wedges.
  • 1 tsp. fresh orange zest
  • 1 Tbs. fresh orange juice
  • 2-3 Tbs. cornstarch
  • pinch Pink Himalayan salt
  • pinch cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

Instructions

Pie Crust

  • FIrst! cut your butter into small cubes and put back in refrigerator to keep cold.
    Whisk flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
    Add the butter cubes and using a pastry cutter or your fingertips (my favorite), cut or rub butter and flour mixture together until resembles coarse meal.
    Sprinkle about 6 Tbs.of the cold water all around and keep mixing until dough looks "shaggy" . Add just enough additional water so that mixture holds its shape and forms a soft dough.
    Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a disc. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator, for at least an hour before rolling out.
  • Lightly flour a sheet pf parchment paper and roll out one disc to 12-14" diameter and about an 1/8" thick.
    Transfer dough to pie plate and carefully press it into plate,leaving about and inchof hang over.

 

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Peach Tahini Tart

I adapted this recipe from a theKitchn recipe. I omitted the sesame seeds and honey yogurt topping and instead added a tahini drizzle.
Course: Endings
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Peach, Tahini, Puff Pastry

Ingredients

  • 1 package Frozen Puff Pastry see notes about brands
  • 6 medium Peaches, ripe but not soft
  • 4 Tbs. Turbinado or Demerara Sugar extra for topping
  • 1 large Egg
  • 1 medium Lemon
  • pinch Fleur de sel or kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup well stirred tahini, divided
  • Fresh Tarragon for garnish You can use basil here too

Instructions

  • Preheat ovent to 425°.
    Take Puff Pastry from freezer and let thaw on counter, then return to refrigerator until ready to use.
  • Halve and pit peaches, then cut into slices. Thinner is really pretty on a tart but can be difficult to hold shape. I try to get about 1/2".
    Toss peaches with 2 tablespoons of the sugar and let sit for 30-60 minutes.
  • Unfold pastry onto a piece of parchment paper. use a rolling pin to smooth and stretch, slightly. Use a fork to prick holes all over dough.
    Beat together, slightly, the egg and a tablespoon of water.
    Use a pastry brush and brush the egg wash around all edges of the puff pastry. Make a about 2-3" border all the way around. Leave the center plain. Sprinkle a tablespoon of the sugar on edges and slide parchment paper with dough on it onto a baking sheet. Set back in refrigerator while working on peaches.
  • To the bowl that already has the peaches add the zest of half the lemon and 1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. Add the remaining sugar and the salt. Toss to combine.
    Remove pastry from fridge. Spread 1/4 cup, or more, of the tahini onto the puff pastry. Leave a 1" border.
    Strain the peaches, gently, reserve the juices. Arrange the peach slices on the puff pastry. Be careful to respect the borders.
  • Bake tart in oven for 15-20 minutes. Check periodically, the puffed edges can burn quickly. If they do start to burn cover with foil.
    While tart is baking, pour juices into a small saucepan and reduce by half. If you don't have enough juices you can add a little bit of apple juice or water.
  • Remove tart from oven and let cool, slightly.
    When just ready to serve, drizzle reduced juice and up to 1/4 cup of additional tahini over the top. Cut and serve.
    Garnish with fresh tarragon or basil leaves.

Notes

I think Pepperidge Farm is the most readily available puff pastry and it comes in 2 smaller sheets. This recipe has enough peaches to do 2 tarts. You don't really have to double the rest of the ingredients, may 1 1/2.

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