A Day for Pie

Yesterday was the second annual B’Eat More Pie Fest, a feat that means we have officially created an annual pie festival. I am exhausted, proud beyond words, and incredibly grateful to this community for making such an awesome event possible. Baltimore, you rock my world.

We had 30 pies entered in the contest (10 more than last year), between 250-300 pie lovers attend (much more than last year), and we are going to be able to donate $700 to Heart’s Place, the family shelter that the fest supports (significantly more than last year). All because people love pie.

We could not possibly have pulled off such an incredible day without the judges, musicians, vendors, sponsors, and volunteers who donated their time. We are so lucky to have a group of people who wanted to lend us their talents, palates, and Sunday afternoons. And a huge, giant, crusty thank you goes out to the 2640 Collective for supporting the fest and letting us hold this homage to pie in their amazingly breathtaking space.

It’s crazy to think that something this magnificent hatched in a long car ride home, but somehow we’ve made it happen twice. We’re already planning next year, so hold on to your hats!

photos by dan & elena

Peach & Ginger Pie

pie dough:

2 1/2 cups all p flour

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp sugar

1 tsp powdered ginger

1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold

1 1/2 stick cold butter

1/4-1 cup ice water

filling:

6 peaches, a combination of ripe and unripe

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbsp fresh ginger

Corn starch

1 egg

Brown sugar

Sift dry ingredients.  Add shortening and break it up with your hands as you start to coat the flour.  Add butter and work it in until it resembles coarse corn meal.  You should be able to pinch the dough together to form chunks.  Add the ice water, a little at a time, stirring in with a wooden spoon  Only add as much as it takes to make a ball.  Any more than that and you will be left with chewey crust.  However, make sure you’re using enough for your dough to hold together.

Form a ball and divide it in half.  Cover each half with saran wrap and flatten into a disc shape.  Pop in the fridge for at least half an hour.

Combine water, sugar, and ginger in a medium sauce pan. Heat until sugar dissolves. Let cool.

Peel peaches. Slice. Toss the peaches in syrup.

Roll out your bottom pie dough and place in pan.  Coat the bottom crust with a layer of corn starch. This will help the filling stay solid as the peaches release their juices. Depending on how juicy your peaches are add more corn starch. For a group of juicy peaches I put 1/4 inch layer of corn starch on the bottom. Toss your sliced peaches in an additional two tablespoons of corn starch. Scoop filling into bottom crust..  Roll your top pie dough out and, using a knife or a pastry knife, cut into strips.  Overlap the strips in a lattice pattern.  Whisk egg, and brush egg over the top of the pie.  Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350.