1 qt. sliced peaches
3/4 c. sugar
Pinch of salt
3 Tb. flour
Fill the lower crust with the sliced peaches and sprinkle with the
sugar, salt, and flour, which have been previously mixed. Moisten the
edge of the lower crust, cover with the top crust, and bake in a
moderately hot oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Peach pie served hot with
whipped cream makes a very delicious dessert.
42. THICKENING JUICY FRUITS FOR PIES.--When particularly juicy fruit,
such as berries, cherries, peaches, etc., is used for pie, flour or
other starchy material must necessarily be used to thicken the juice and
thus prevent it from running out when the pie is served. If the fruit is
very sour, a proportionately larger quantity of flour will be necessary.
This is due to the fact that the acid of the fruit reduces the starch in
the flour to dextrine, and this form of carbohydrate does not have so
much thickening power as the starch in its original form had.
The same thing takes place when browned flour is used in making sauce or
gravy. As experience will prove, browned flour must be used in greater
quantity than white flour or a thinner sauce will be the result. The
browned flour and the flour cooked with the acid of fruits are similar
so far as their thickening power is concerned, for the one is reduced to
dextrine by the application of dry heat or hot fat and the other by
moist heat and the presence of acid.
43. RHUBARB PIE.--Rhubarb is practically the first fresh material for
pie that can be purchased in the spring and is therefore very much
appreciated. The most popular form in which it is served is probably in
pie. It requires considerable sugar in order to make it palatable and
should be thickened with starchy material so that it will not be too
juicy when it is served.