Peach & Blueberry Pie for Food Network Canada's August Cooking Club Challenge

This month's Food Network Canada's Cooking Club Challenge was a seasonal Peach Blackberry Pie by Anna Olson.  This month I wanted to follow the recipe exactly, but I did make one change... I substituted blueberries for blackberries as the timing was just perfect for Nova Scotia's blueberry harvest.  I was able to pick up both the organic blueberries and the local peaches from Hennigar's in Wolfville on the way back from a weekend visit to Oaklawn Farm Zoo.  Of course, seeing that I planned on making many farm market stops on the way back, the skies opened up with a crash and a bang and we were in the midst of a severe thunderstorm, which unfortunately did a lot of damage to some of the Valley crops.  I braved one good soaking to pick up my pie fixings and everything for another pot of hodge podge.

I'd like to tell you that I loved this pie, but I can't.  I'm not a peach-lover and I had a heck of a time with this pastry recipe, which may have been the recipe, but more than likely my temperament as I made it.  As much as I man-handled it though it stayed very flaky... too flaky.  It exploded whenever you touched it :)  I knew that my peaches were juicy when I sliced them, but hoped that the flour in the recipe would be enough, it wasn't.  So while it was not a pretty pie, my husband said he really enjoyed it.  

Anna Olson's Peach Blackberry (Blueberry) Pie
Adapted from Food Network Canada

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and well chilled
3 tbsp cold water (I needed 4)
1 tbsp lemon juice

Filling:
8 peaches, peeled and sliced
2 cups blackberries (I used 1 pt blueberries)
1/2 cup sugar (If I were to make this again, I'd use more... maybe my peaches weren't very sweet)
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 egg mixed with 2 tbsp cold water for brushing top crust
2 tbsp turbinado sugar (I used regular white sugar)

For the crust, pulse together the salt and flour in a food processor.  Add the well-chilled butter pieces and pulse until it resembles coarse meal.  Mix together the water and lemon juice and add to food processor, pulsing until it starts to come together, I had to finish this part by hand.  Form dough into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 30 minutes before rolling.  Roll out the bottom crust and place it in pie plate, leaving edge as is.  Pop back in the fridge while you prep the fruit.

For the filling, put the peeled slice peaches and black (blue) berries in a large bowl.  Add sugar, flour, zest and spices and mix until combined.  Pour into pie crust, top with small bits of butter, and set back in fridge while you roll out the top lattice.

For the lattice, roll out the second disc of dough and cut it into 8 or 10 slices long enough to cross the pie.  Lay 4 (or 5) slices of lattice up and down across the pie and by folding up alternating pieces, weave 4 (or 5) slices of lattice horizontally across the pie.  There is an excellent tutorial with step by step photos here.  I had lost my patience with the pastry by the time I got around to this point and it shows :)  Trim the edges and crimp as you would normally, sealing the lattice to the bottom crust.  Brush with the egg wash mixture and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40-50 minutes (mine took 65 minutes).  Place a sheet of foil or parchment below the baking pie to catch any drips.  Let the pie cool completely before slicing, this will let it set up as much as it can.  We served ours with some vanilla bean ice cream.

If you are a peach fan, I'd recommend trying this pie too... but if you have a favourite pie crust recipe, I'd suggest perhaps using that one instead.  With the apple harvest just around the corner, I'd better get some more practice in.