Septemeber is a month of transitions.  We say goodbye to summer without fully realizing it’s gone.  An extra blanket suddenly becomes necessary.  Leaves slowly make their descent leaving pops of red, orange, and yellow on the sidewalk.  We move on once again to the next season with both hesitation and relief for a change.  A noticeable ache is present when summer transitions into fall, another reminder of time moving forward.

Soon we will turn to stews, chilis, lasagna, and hearty meals to warm our bones.  Slow cooker recipes will get us through the crazy school and workweek.  One day will melt into the next.  Before we allow for any of this to happen, lets pause and savor summer one last time.  My peach and blueberry streusel pie adapted from the cookbook Sister Pie by Lisa Ludwinski pays homage to the beauty of summer fruits.  I hope you enjoy it.  Happy Labor Day.

Peach Blueberry Streusel Pie

Serves 8

Recipe adapted from Sister Pie by Lisa Ludwinski

Ingredients for Pie Crust:

2 ½ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 sticks of unsalted butter, chilled

½ cup ice-cold water + 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Ingredients for filling:

2lbs ripe peaches, sliced

3 cups blueberries

Juice of 1 lemon

¼ cup tapioca starch

¼ cup light brown sugar

¼ teaspoon of kosher salt

1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger

Ingredients for streusel:

2 cups fine yellow cornmeal

1 cup old fashion oats

2/3 cup light brown sugar

14 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled

Directions for pie dough:

Using a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and salt.  Place sticks of butter in the middle of the bowl and coat with flour mixture.  Using a bench scraper, cut the butter into small cubes.  Cover each cube with flour, then using the bench scraper cut the cubes in half again.

Using a pastry blender or your hands, cut the butter while also turning the bowl with the other hand.  Continue to blend the butter and flour until the pieces are the size of peas.  Next, add the water/vinegar mix.  Using the bench scraper, scrape the dough from one side of the bowl to the other side until the liquid is absorbed.  Now, scoop up the mixture with your hands and press back down onto the whatever remains in the bowl.  Turn the bowl, scoop the mixture with your hands, press back down, and repeat.  Once all the flour at the bottom of the bowl is gone it is time to stop.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface.  Using the bench scraper cut the dough in half.  Pat each dough ball into a two-inch disc.  Seal any broken edges.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but overnight is best.

The pie dough will last in the refrigerator for a few days and in the freezer for up to 1 year.  Thaw in the refrigerator for one full day if frozen.

Next, blind bake!

Pre-heat the oven to 450F with the rack on the lowest level.  Remove pie dough from fridge and place on a lightly floured surface.  Roll the dough starting from the middle out, rotate 45 degrees and roll again.  Repeat this process until the circle of dough measures 9 inches.  Place dough in the pie pan, crimp as desired, and place the pie dough in the freezer.  Allow to freeze for 20 minutes.

Remove frozen pie crust and cover with aluminum foil.  Fill the crust with dried beans.  They should come all the way up to the crimps!  Place pie on baking sheet pan and place in oven.  Bake until the crimps are light golden brown, about 25-28 minutes.  Check for doneness by peeling back a bit of the foil.  Remove pie crust from oven and cool on a wire rack for 6 minutes before removing foil.  The pie is now ready to be filled!

Directions for filling and streusel topping:

Using a large bowl, add peaches, blueberries, ginger, lemon juice, brown sugar, salt, and tapioca starch.  Mix well.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, oats, brown sugar, salt, and butter.  Combine with your fingers until it resembles wet sand.  Set aside or refrigerate in an air-tight container until ready to use.

Pie Time!

Pre-heat oven to 350F.

Pour filling into blind-baked pie crust.  Sprinkle streusel topping all over the fruit, covering it completely.

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place pie on baking sheet and place in the preheated oven.  Bake the pie for 60 to 90 minutes or until the fruit juices are bubbling and the streusel topping is a rich golden-brown color.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 4 to 6 hours.  Pie is ready to eat when it is at room temperature.  Serve alone or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Enjoy!

The leftover pie will keep at room temperature for 2 days.  Be sure to cover well with plastic wrap.

5 End of Summer Pie Links

Savor peach season and make Smitten Kitchen’s peach pie.

Looking for a gluten-free summer pie option?  Head to Joy the Baker for her gluten-free peach and blueberry pie recipe.

This pie by Vanilla Bean Blog combines summer and fall flavors in one delicious pie.  Curious?  Check it out!

If you have more tomatoes than you know what to do with head to The Awesome Green blog for a sweet and savory tomato pie recipe that will not disappoint!

Pumpkin-flavored everything season has started.  Embrace it and make Love and Olive Oil’s s’more pumpkin pie recipe!