Lattice-Top Peach Pie

My husband loves pie and I love baking new things, so this recipe was a win-win for both of us.  You can get pretty good peaches in Texas at this time of year (late summer and into the fall), and they really shined in this pie.  The filling is simple but somehow tastes just right.  This was my first attempt at a lattice top and it came out looking pretty good.  I used an all-butter pie crust dough, but you can use any recipe for a double crust.  This was a labor of love, as it took several hours to make the dough and blanch and peel the peaches, but I can assure you that it is well worth the work.  My husband and I loved this pie and it disappeared quickly!

Lattice-Top Peach Pie
From The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book

INGREDIENTS - FILLING
1 recipe for double-crust pie dough (divided into two disks)
2 1/2 pounds (5 to 7 ) peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced 1/3 inch thick
1- 1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
pinch salt
1 egg white, lightly beaten

DIRECTIONS
1. Roll one disk of dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface, then fit it into a 9-inch pie plate, letting the excess dough hang over the edge; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. Roll the other disk of dough into a 13 1/2 by 10 1/2-inch rectangle, then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Trim the dough to a 13 by 10-inch rectangle with straight edges, then slice it lengthwise into eight 13-inch-long strips. Separate the strips slightly, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until very firm, about 30 minutes.

3. Toss the peaches and 1 cup of the sugar together in a large bowl and let sit, tossing occasionally, until the peaches release their juice, about 1 hour. (Add up to 4 more tablespoons sugar if the peaches taste tart). Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position, place a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 425-degrees.

4. Drain the peaches thoroughly through a colander, reserving 1/4 cup of the juice. In a large bowl, toss the drained fruit, 1/4 cup reserved juice, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt together until well combined.

5. Spread the peaches into the dough-lined pie plate and weave the chilled strips of dough over the top into a lattice. Let the strips soften for 5 to 10 minutes, then trim, fold, and crimp the edges. Lightly brush the lattice with the egg white and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar.

6. Place the pie on the heated baking sheet and bake until the top crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees, rotate the baking sheet, and continue to bake until the juices are bubbling and the crust is deep golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes longer. Let the pie cool on a wire rack until the filling has set, about 2 hours; serve slightly warm or at room temperature.