Peach Pie with Lard Crust!

First of all, I just have to say that the baby is rolling, rolling, rolling this morning and it makes me SO happy!  Baby dance in there.

I had the supreme pleasure and honor of baking with my best  Aunt Shayno, and we made a peach pie with LARD crust.  It's all about the lard.

We went to the farmer's market to buy the peaches and we kept moaning about having to go the grocery store just to get Crisco, when I thought, I wonder if the butcher would have lard for sale?  He did.  Beautiful, snow white, freshly rendered pork fat, y'all.

This pie was amazing.  What I learned was similar to my maple syrup experience earlier:  If you eat a little bit of the REAL THING, you are completely satisfied and have no desire to eat enormous quantities.  I have a sweet tooth's sweet tooth, and I couldn't imagine having more than one slice of this peach pie.  Why?  The lard in the crust made for such a complex, rich experience, two slices would have been too much (this is coming from the girl who ate half a store bought pecan pie on Christmas Day).

Use lard!  And real maple syrup!

My piece with a whipped cream skirt.  And yes, that is a bunny in the background.  Hungry bunny.

Aunt Shayno's Peach Crumb Pie with Lard Crust

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Pie Crust:

For single large pie crust
1 1/2 cups flour all-purpose
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup lard, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup ice water, 1 tbsp at a time until right consistency

Combine flour and salt.  Cut in fat with pastry blender, two knifes, or just pinch mixture together until the fat is the size of small peas.  Add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough just comes together.

Place ball of dough on a lightly floured piece of waxed paper.  Press down with your hand.  Add a touch more flour and put a second piece of waxed paper on top.  Roll out dough with rolling pin until it is about 1/4 inch thick.  Place dough in an un-greased pie pan, cutting off extra dough from sides, if needed.

Lightly press the crust in pan, and create whatever edging you desire.  Refrigerate while you make the rest of the pie magic happen.

Crumb Topping:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup brown sugar

Combine flour and sugar.  Cut in butter with pastry blender, two knifes, or just pinch mixture together until you get a "coarse sand" consistency.  Set aside.

Apple Filling:

about 5 cups sliced peaches (peeled and pitted)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
pinch of ground cinnamon

Toss peach slices in a bowl with the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and cinnamon. Stir to combine and set aside.

Put peach filling in pie pan, followed by crumb topping.  Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake for 40 minutes, or until top is golden brown and filling is bubbling.



Aunt Shayno in action: