Ginger Peach Pie

While we may still be a few weeks shy of prime peach season, that hasn’t stopped me from stocking up on New Jersey peaches that are just beginning to hit the markets. They are decent, though not amazing, but after mixing them with lemon juice, ginger, cinnamon, and sugar- and then baking them- you can’t tell the difference.
Perhaps it wasn’t the best weekend to bake a Ginger Peach Pie, given that the temps were close to 100 with staggering humidity. Humidity is pie dough’s worst enemy and in the past has left me with crust that doesn’t want to be lifted off the counter, leading to rips, lots of re-rolling and frustration in general. But after chilling the dough for hours and working quickly, this crust came together just fine and a delicious peach pie was enjoyed by all this past Friday night. And now, let’s not forget the ginger because after the peaches it is the star of the pie. The ginger has a sharp tang that brightens up the peaches and takes the pie from just a sweet summer dessert to one that is more sophisticated, with a punch. Our dinner guests left us with one big slice of pie and NAK and I may just have to wrestle for it. But no worries, as I have 2 more crusts defrosting in the fridge ready for this week’s fruit pie, so there are no losers here.

Ginger Peach Pie
Adapted very loosely from Saveur

This pie requires a top and bottom crust, and my crust recipe makes 4 crusts, meaning that I’d only be left with 2 crusts. I fully intend on making a fruit pie every week this summer – how can you resist with all the delicious fruit that’s making its way into the market- and so I opted to make 8 (yes that’s right!) crusts. If you don’t have unlimited flour on hand or just don’t feel like filling up your freezer with pie crusts, then either make the full crust recipe below (which will yield 4) or cut it in half and you’ll have the 2 you need for this pie. Crusts freeze well, just wrap with plastic wrap or wax paper and freeze in a ziplock bag.

Pie Crust:
5 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
12 tablespoons butter
12 tablespoons shortening
1 cup of cold water

In a food processor, add the flour, salt, sugar, butter, and shortening and pulse until fine crumbs form. Add water a little at a time until dough is moist enough to form a ball. (Note that you may need less water in humid weather). Divide the big ball into 4 equal balls and wrap in wax paper or plastic to freeze. Refrigerate the dough for this pie for 1-2 hours.

Filling:
1 tablespoon. fresh lemon juice
3 teaspoon peeled, minced fresh ginger (mince it using a microplane or grater)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
3-4 pounds (about 9 to 10 medium sized) fresh ripe peaches
1 egg white
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

For the filling: Mix together lemon juice, ginger, cinnamon, sugar, and cornstarch in a large bowl. Allow to sit while you prep the pie dough. Preheat oven to 375°. On a floured surface, roll out 2 pie crusts into 12 inch circles. Place one in a 9 inch pie pan, then add the peach filling leaving out any juice. Trim dough overhang to 1/2 an inch. Drape remaining crust on top. Trim the dough so the edges are even, then fold the top crust under the bottom crust. Pinch to secure the crust, then crimp edges. Slash the top of the pie to allow steam to escape then brush top of pie with egg white, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake until golden, about 1 hour. Serve warm.

Three Bean Salad with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

NAK and I spent a wonderful weekend in Charlottesville, VA visiting a bunch of wineries, Monticello, and of course, enjoying the amazing summer weather. The weekend was really perfect but I must admit that I did miss the required Memorial Day barbecue that I had intended to host if we were in town. We just bought a grill a few weeks ago and NAK's been having a field day grilling meat, fish and chicken.

But who is to say that just because you aren't grilling, you can't make those side salads, the ones that often outshine the grilled food itself. And while potato salads and cole slaws are great, you need not limit yourself to just those. Bean salads are one of my favorites - they are full of protein, taste and crunch. They are easy to assemble, can be made in advance, and will yield lunch for at least a day or two. In other words, they are just about darn perfect.

I didn't have quite enough basil for a full on pesto dressing so I combined the basil with sun dried tomatoes for a spicy yet fresh dressing. I chose green beans for their shape and crunch, cannelloni beans for their softness and edamame for added protein, but you could use anything- chick peas, lima beans, black beans...whatever you prefer. And best of all, when it's steamy outside, a heaping bowl of bean salad will make for a pretty hearty meal all on its own. But tonight, when NAK is busy grilling salmon outside, you may just find me inside making another batch of bean salad.

Three Bean Salad with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

1/2 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes (I used dried tomatoes that I reconstituted in hot water but you can also use tomatoes packed in oil. Just be sure to drain them well)
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2-3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 lb green beans, ends cut off and cut in half
1 can cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
1 bag edamame

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the beans to the water for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly cooked but still crisp. Remove the beans from the water with a slotted spoons and immerse in a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Rinse again with cold water and then drain in a colander. Dry beans with a towel.

Add the basil, sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts, cheese and garlic into a food processor. Pulse until evenly and finely chopped, scraping the sides of the food processor with a spatula. Slowly add the olive oil and process until smooth. Add more oil if necessary, you want the pesto to be a sauce-like consistency so it will coat the beans. Taste, and then add salt and pepper as necessary.

Add the green beans in a large serving bowl with the edamame and cannelloni beans. Pour the sauce on top and mix together. Serve immediately.