Hey! It’s Pie Party Day!
Through the magics of Twitter, a few bloggers decided we all need not fear pie, that we should all make pies and collectively post them on the internets on July 5th.
Which is today.
Glorious.
Honestly, I L-O-V-E pie. Especially in the summer with all the juicy, fruity, bounty that is available.
I made some hand pies because I love the individual portions and the fact that you can freeze half of the batch for emergency pie needs.
Sometimes a girl has a pie emergency and nothing but a homemade pie will do. Fact.
I like an all butter crust, but I’m certain I’d be okay with a mixture of butter + shortening, or even lard. Some people swear by lard pie crusts and I don’t doubt that they’re probably on to something. It should be said that I almost NEVER feel like my crust is perfect, but in the end it’s always delicious. I have never made an inedible pie crust. Honest. They may come out a little dry, too wet, crumbly, a little overworked, but never inedible. I think you’d be hard pressed to make one that was a complete and utter disaster.
What I am trying to say is that perfect is overrated and you should just get over any pie-fear you may have and make one.
The effort is well worth the reward.
All-Butter Pie Dough
Adapted from Martha Stewart
This recipe makes 1-double crust, 2-single crust, or 10 hand pies.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) COLD butter, cut into cubes
1/2-1/2 cup ice water
Using your food processor, clean fingers, or a pastry blender, cut butter into dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl (if you aren’t using a processor), until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Begin to add icy water a few tablespoons at a time just until a dough forms. Divide the dough in half, pat out into a disc and cover well with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Remove from refrigerator about 15 minutes before rolling out.
Nectarine + Raspberry Filling
2 ripe nectarines, pitted and sliced
1 1/2 cups raspberries
1/4-1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch or desired thickener
Toss together fruit, sugar, and thickener to coat in a medium bowl. Set aside.
To Assemble:
1 egg
1 tablespoon whole milk
In a small bowl whisk together egg and milk. This will be your egg wash for sealing the pies and brushing the tops.
Roll out your dough to about an 1/8 inch thick. Using a round cutter, cut circles of pie dough (or use a knife and make rectangle hand pies), spoon some of the filling into the center of the circle —don’t get too crazy, you still have to fold and crimp here–brush some egg wash around one half of the dough to seal, crimp with the tines of a fork. Repeat with remaining dough/filling. Brush tops with remaining egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Cut a fe vent into the top of each pie. Place pies on a baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes while your oven preheats.
In a 375F oven bake pies for about 30 minutes, until golden and juices are bubbling. You may have some leakage from the vent or even the sealed edges. This is okay, it will still be DELICIOUS. Allow pies to cool at least 10 minutes so the bubbling, molten juices don’t burn you and your friends. Devour.
You said it girl! Pie crust can be a bully, but it’ll always be delicious!
These look awesome by the way. I love the idea of nectarines + raspberries. Lovely combo, fo realz.
Pie is pie, right? and it’s always delicious…fo realzz.
clicked through to see if you joined the party… i’m very jealous of the hand pies i’ve been seeing around. i think the main reason i don’t make pie very often is because it’s not easily transportable. hand pies are the solution.
Justin, hand pies ARE the solution. well said!
yes! hand pies are the solution because they have more pie crust to filling ratio–the way i like it. lol
plus, 2 hand pies=like, 1 regular slice of pie!
As you know, I love hand pies! Yours look fantastic!
I dont think you could have made a more perfectly flaky gorgeous pastry if you tried! My go to recipe is one from smitten kitchens site and i think it is literally identical to this so I can vouch for the fact it is utterly scrummy 🙂
Back to the recipe! Your little pies look adorabbllee and so so yummy, I LOVE the shots of the fruit on the tray, so pretty! 🙂 Really beautiful post all round and I am very happy indeed to have found your blog
Sasha, Thank you! I am so glad you found my blog too. I love smitten kitchen too 🙂
OH this sounds so tasty!! You are a superstar Cindy 🙂
Rhi, you are so sweet! It was tasty for sure.
i love pie, especially if you can hold it in your hands. these look delicious, as always!
hand pies are the best! individual, portable, no plate or fork required! thanks cindy!
Yum! These are so cute and I like the raspberry/nectarine combo!
These look so good! And I love your grey & white tray. Where did you get it?
Thanks Sherri Lynn! I actually got the striped tray from IKEA…cheap and cute 🙂
this looks like the perfect dessert for me. I love anything pastry crust but I havent the heart to make an entire pie as yet. I’ve made homemade pop tarts filled with my favourite jam. This filling looks just as delicious.
an entire pie is quite the commitment, i agree. homemade poptarts are such a great idea…i need to get on that!
I sooooo cannot wait for summer to finally come to Australia so I can turn all the summer fruits into a jammy sticky mess between layers of pastry! I’m with you on the all butter pastry but another favourite of mine is Maggie Beer’s sour cream pastry which is a cinch to make 🙂
Melissa, summer fruit pastries are definitely the best! I am going to have ti try that sour cream pastry, sounds amazing!