Ingredients
500 g all-purpose flour
25 g white sugar
1 g salt
310 g vegetable shortening
1 egg
cold water, or as needed
295 ml water, divided
30 g cornstarch
150 g white sugar
2 g salt (optional)
15 ml lemon juice (optional)
680 g fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced
Preparation
Mix together the flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Cut the shortening into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat the egg in a small bowl, and pour it into a 1-cup measuring cup. Pour in enough cold water to total 1 cup, and mix the water and egg into the dough. Mix the dough a few times with your fingers, until it holds together. Divide the dough in half.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Whisk together 3/4 cup of water with the cornstarch in a bowl until smooth, and set aside. Mix 1/2 cup of water with 3/4 cup of sugar in a large saucepan until the sugar has dissolved, and bring to a boil. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the boiling sugar mixture until thickened and translucent, whisking constantly, about 1 minute; whisk in 1/4 teaspoon of salt and lemon juice, if desired. Combine with the sliced peaches.
Roll half the crust out on a floured surface in a rectangle shape about 12 by 20 inches, and fit the pastry into a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan. Roll the second half of the crust out to the same size as the first crust. Pour the peach filling into the bottom crust, and place the top crust on the pie. Crimp and fold the edges to seal, and cut several slits into the top crust.
Bake in the preheated oven until the crust is browned and the filling is bubbling, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Allow to cool completely to let the filling set up before slicing into squares to serve.
If soft Spanish cheese were easy to find in this country (United Kingdom), I'd use that in this Iberian-themed salad. As it is, I've had to use mozzarella from Italy, but its milky subtlety is perfect with the salty ham and sweet nectarines.
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
A handful of wild rocket leaves
2 ripe nectarines
8 slices of serrano ham
1 ball of buffalo mozzarella
3 sprigs of basil
2oz/60g pine nuts
Mix the vinegar with a fat pinch of salt and a grinding of black pepper. Beat in the oil.
Turn the rocket leaves in half the dressing and spread out on a plate.
Cut the nectarines into 16 slices each and scatter them over the rocket. Crumple the slices of ham and nestle them among the leaves. Tear the mozzarella into small pieces and add to the salad.
Sprinkle with pine nuts and basil leaves, then drizzle the rest of the dressing over them. Serve straight away.
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