Buttermilk helps soften the whole grains in the crunchy topping, which is helpful if you’re using freshly milled grains. For a flaky pie crust recipe, read Perfect Pie Crust. Yield: One 9-inch pie.
Ingredients:
One 9-inch pie shell, unbaked
Filling:
5 to 6 cups peeled, pitted and sliced peaches
Zest and juice of half a lemon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch or potato flour
Topping:
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3 tbsp buttermilk or milk
6 strips bacon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pats
1/4 cup brown sugar
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a mixing bowl, toss the filling ingredients together and set aside. The peaches will become juicy.
In a separate bowl, sprinkle the buttermilk over the cornmeal and flour and toss with a fork. Fry the bacon until crisp, and then crumble. Cut the butter into the damp flour mixture with a fork or pastry blender, until the texture is coarse and sandy. With your fingers, mix in the bacon and brown sugar, forming little clumps of various sizes. Chill the topping mixture.
Pour the peaches into the unbaked pie shell. Bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes. Remove the pie and sprinkle the bacon-cornmeal topping all over the filling. Return to the oven and bake for another 25 to 35 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. Allow the pie to cool for at least half an hour before serving.
Read more: Perfectly ripe peaches are tasty on their own or pair well with a variety of flavors. Learn how to cook and preserve this summer fruit in Peachy Keen Peach Recipes: Putting Summer’s Sweetest Fruit to Use.
Photo By Tim Nauman
