2 tablespoons (or more) ice water
1 large egg yolk
Topping
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats
¾ cup unbleached all purpose flour
¾ cup (packed) golden brown sugar
½ cup sliced almonds
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
Filling
6 cups fresh cherries, pitted, or 2 pounds frozen pitted sweet cherries, thawed, juices reserved
1 cup sugar
2½ tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 tablespoon kirsch (clear cherry brandy) or brandyPinch of salt
CRUST: Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor 5 seconds. Add butter and shortening; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Beat 2 tablespoons ice water and egg yolk in small bowl to blend; add to processor. Using on/off turns, blend until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.
TOPPING: Blend oats, flour, sugar, almonds, cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl. Add butter. Rub in with fingertips, pressing mixture together until moist clumps form. Chill at least 30 minutes.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
FILLING: Mix cherries with any juices, sugar, tapioca, kirsch, and salt in large bowl. Let stand until tapioca looks translucent, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Roll out dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13- to 14-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter deep-dish glass pie dish. Trim dough overhang to ¾ inch. Fold edge under and crimp decoratively. Spoon filling into crust. Sprinkle with topping.
Bake pie 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F. Continue to bake until filling is bubbling thickly and topping is brown and crisp, covering edges with foil collar if browning too quickly, about 25 minutes longer. Cool pie on rack at least 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
The ultimate summer dessert: a peach filling spiked with cinnamon and cardamom between two layers of tender, flaky, slightly tangy buttermilk crust. 8 servings
Crust
2½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
5 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
¼ cup frozen lard or non-hydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, cut into ½-inch pieces
¾ cup (or more) chilled buttermilk
Filling
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
¼ cup unbleached all purpose flour
1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
3¾ to 4 pounds ripe peaches
2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 egg, beaten to blend
CRUST: Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and lard; using on/off turns, cut in until fat is reduced to pea-size pieces, about 25 turns. Using on/off turns, blend in ¾ cup buttermilk until dough just comes together in moist clumps, adding more buttermilk by tablespoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; divide into 2 pieces, 1 slightly larger than the other. Flatten each into disk. Wrap separately in plastic and chill at least 1 hour.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.
FILLING: Mix ¾ cup sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, and cardamom in large bowl. Bring large pot of water to boil. Add peaches to boiling water for 30 seconds. Using slotted spoon, transfer peaches to bowl of cold water; cool. Peel, halve, and pit peaches. Slice peaches into bowl with sugar mixture; toss to coat. Let filling stand until juices form, stirring often, about 20 minutes.
Place 1 rack in center and 1 rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 400°F. Roll out larger dough disk on floured surface to 12- to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim overhang to ¾ inch. Mound filling in crust; dot with butter. Roll out smaller dough disk on floured surface to 12-inch round. Gently roll up dough onto rolling pin and unroll, draping over filling. Pinch together overhang of bottom crust and edge of top crust. Fold edge under and crimp decoratively. Cut several slits in top crust to allow steam to escape during baking. Brush crust with beaten egg; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
Place pie on center rack in oven. Place baking sheet on lowest oven rack to catch any drippings. Bake pie until crust is golden brown and juices bubble thickly through slits, covering very loosely with foil if crust browns too quickly, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool pie on rack at least 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.
This is summer’s perfect pie, with a not-too-sweet filling, a tender flaky crust, and a crunchy nut topping. The peaches can be peeled by either using a very sharp serrated peeler, available online and at cookware stores, or plunging the peaches into boiling water for 30 seconds before cooling and slipping the skins off. 8 servings
Crust
1¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup (½ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes ¼ cup non-hydrogenated solid vegetable shortening or lard, frozen, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 tablespoons (or more) ice water
Filling
6 large ripe peaches (about 2½ pounds total), peeled, pitted, cut into ¾-inch-thick slices
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Topping
½ cup unbleached all purpose flour
⅓ cup (packed) golden brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 cup pecan pieces
¾ cup old-fashioned oats
CRUST: Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Using fork, stir in 3 tablespoons ice water, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry, and pressing dough together with fingertips until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.
FILLING: Toss peach slices, sugar, tapioca, and cinnamon in large bowl to coat. Let stand 15 minutes, tossing occasionally.