Peach and Blueberry Slab Pie

Slab pies are pretty easy to love. They are  forgiving for baking mistakes, require the same amount of time as a round pie and can feed more. You can fill them with just about any fruit and can be baked on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. And they taste as good as a regular pie.

Some creative touches for the top slab pie crust include:

lattice 

crisscrossed like a braided coffee cake 

rolled out just like the bottom crust.  

Cook's notes: When I post a recipe and write adapted usually there are minimal changes to the original recipe. If I write inspired by usually the recipe gives me a starting point and I am known to make a lot of changes. Peach and Blueberry Slab Pie (photo below) recipe was inspired by Better Homes and Gardens August 2014. Since I could not get my top crust to look like their picture

I scratched that idea and braided the top crust like a coffee cake.  Seemed so much easier. There is nothing that says summer like fresh peaches and blueberries. A hint of citrus enhances the fruit flavor with orange juice and zest. I added a bit of cinnamon to the fruit mixture.

Ingredients:

• 1 package refrigerated unbaked pie crust (1 crust) 
• 2 TB, flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. orange zest
• 3 peaches, pitted and sliced
• 1 TB. orange juice
• 1/2 cup blueberries 
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, and orange zest. Add peaches, blueberries and orange juice, toss gently to coat. Set aside.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Unroll pie crust on a lightly floured sheet of wax paper. Roll pie crust to a 12 x 10 inch rectangle. Note you may have to use some of the second pie crust dough to have enough to form the rectangle.  
• Transfer crust to parchment lined cookie sheet. 
• Make cuts on each of the long side sides of the rectangle. I spaced the cuts 1-1/2 apart and 3 inches in

• Use a slotted spoon to drain the juices from the fruit and place the fruit mixture down the center.

• Criss cross the dough strips down the center. Press in edges at the short ends of the pie slab.
• Use a pastry brush and lightly moisten the dough with milk or an egg wash. Sprinkle a mixture of cinnamon and sugar over the dough. 
• Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 degrees and bake 20 minutes longer.  
• Cool on baking sheet that has been set on a wire rack.

Bon Appetit