Recipe: Summer Fruit Pies

By Khalil Hymore

I love to make these individual hand-held pies whenever I host a picnic because it's so fun to present my friends with their very own pie and it makes cleanup so easy. I use peaches, because peach pie is my hands-down favorite, but this recipe makes it so easy to substitute your own favorite summer fruit -- blueberries, nectarines, cherries, or blackberries. Sometimes, in early fall, when it's still warm enough for an alfresco meal, I'll make them with fresh apples and cinnamon.

Summer Fruit Pies
Makes 6 servings

• 1½ pounds (4 to 5) ripe peaches, halved, pitted, and cut into large cubes
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 basic pie crust
• 1 large egg, whisked for egg wash
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1. Heat oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Toss peaches with brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, and zest in a large bowl until well coated. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Cut the pie dough into 6 equal pieces and roll out each piece on a lightly floured surface into 7-inch rounds. Spoon about ¾ cup of the peach mixture into the center of each round and then fold the dough over the filling, pinching at the seam to seal the filling inside. Flute the seams with your fingers or use a fork to make a decorative edge. Lightly brush each pie with the egg wash and sprinkle with a little bit of sugar. Place the pies onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper and cut 2 or 3 slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

3. Bake for 10 minutes at 400° Fahrenheit, then reduce oven temp to 350° Fahrenheit and bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden. Allow pies to cool before serving.