When it comes to peaches, I’ll always choose one fresh from the tree. If you go to a local farm stand right now in Southampton and the surrounding area, you’ll see piles of fresh, local peaches, mostly grown by Jennifer Halsey at Whitecap Farm.

I remember the first crop she planted after she graduated from Cornell University and came back to town to work on her family’s farm.  Since then, Jennifer has created an abundant local industry with her peaches and apples. In season, I can never get enough. Whitecap Farm’s peaches are special to me, so I love using them in this recipe. 

This pie is one that I actually prefer the next day, or at least a few hours old, because the peach flavor seems to deepen when given some time. Enjoy!
 

What You’ll Need:

• Double 9-inch pie crust
• 1 egg white, beaten
• 8 cups fresh peaches (about 4 pounds) - peeled, pitted, and sliced
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2) Roll out 1 disk of pie dough to a 12 – to 13 – inch round. Transfer it to a deep-dish 9-inch glass pie pan. Brush the bottom with the beaten egg white to prevent the crust from becoming soggy.

3) Combine the peaches, sugar, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Toss the peaches till they are evenly coated.

4) Fill the pie pan with the peach mixture.

5) Roll out a second disk of pie dough 12 to 13 inches in diameter and place it on top of the peaches. Seal the edges, trim, and flute as desired.

6) Make 4 vents in the top crust with a knife. Place the pie on a cookie sheet to catch the drips.

7) Bake the pie for one hour or until the crust is golden and the fruit mixture is bubbling. Remove the pie pan to a wire rack and cool it. Serve the pie warm (or cold), but not hot.
 

Yield: One nine-inch pie.