Peach Almond Pie

I was inspired by a recipe I found in a little recipe book called PIES, published in the UK. By the time I finished with my version, I could not really say that it was the same recipe, but the model is there. With the peaches on our tree reminding me that this is the season, I thought it was a good time to take a photo.

Crust Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour
¼ cup baking cocoa
1/3 cup Crisco shortening or butter
2 Tbsp coarsely ground almonds
few drops almond extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cold water

Method:

1. Combine dry ingredients.
2. Cut in the butter with pastry blender just to make it crumbly.
3. Sprinkle with water and almond extract, then stir with fork until it holds together and you can shape it into a ball.
4. Sprinkle rolling surface with flour. Flatten dough with hands and shape into a circle.
5. Sprinkle with flour and roll into circular shape, flipping once and adding a little flour as needed.
6. Roll up with rolling pin and unroll into pie plate.
   This pastry may be fragile, but you can patch it up. Flute edges as desired.

Filling Ingredients:

1 ½ cups blanched almonds
½ - ¾ cup sugar
¼ cup melted butter
3 eggs
few drops almond extract
ripe peaches, apricots or canned peaches

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 º F. Put an empty baking sheet on middle oven rack.
2. Process the almonds in a food processor or blender.
   Add sugar, butter, eggs and almond extract, processing until smooth.
3. Pour or spoon into prepared pie plate.
4. Cover with one layer of thick slices of pealed or canned peaches, spreading out slightly like spokes on a wheel.
5. Place pie on sheet in oven rack and bake 50 min. If it gets to a nice golden brown sooner,
   tent loosely with foil.
6. Serve warm or cooled with whipped cream.