Lunch: Chef John's Peach Pie

Recipe by Chef John See how to make the perfect summer pie with a gorgeous lattice top.

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon, Lemon

Health benefits of Chef John's Peach Pie

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Lemons can help to prevent oxidative damage to the body, which women with PCOS are often susceptible to. Lemons are also rich in vitamin C, flavonoids, and other antioxidants. They can potentially support the immune system and have other health benefits. Lemons also have a low glycemic index, so they should not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar when consumed in natural form.

Ingredients

3 pounds fresh freestone peaches, peeled and sliced
1 cup white sugar, divided
1 tiny pinch salt
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pastry for a 10-inch double crust pie
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, cut into tiny pieces
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream, or to taste
1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Stir peaches, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt together in a bowl. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain accumulated juices into a saucepan and return strained peaches to bowl.
Bring juices in saucepan to a boil; reduce heat to medium-high, and cook until mixture thickens to a syrup, 5 to 10 minutes.
Whisk 1/2 cup sugar, flour, and cornstarch together in a bowl. Stir lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon into peaches; add flour mixture and toss to coat. Pour peach syrup over peach mixture and stir.
Roll out half the pastry to fit a 10-inch pie plate. Place bottom crust in pie plate. Pour peach filling into pie shell, tap pie plate against a surface to settle filling, and dot with butter.
Roll remaining crust into an 11-inch circle and cut into 1-inch strips using a paring knife or pastry wheel.
Lay 5 strips of pie crust over the top of the pie. Weave remaining pastry dough strips through to form a lattice top. Fold the ends of the lattice strips under the bottom crust and crimp the crust. Brush cream over the top and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
Bake in the preheated oven until browned and bubbling, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.

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