Cooking up the good life

Those of you who have been following along with me this year know that the seasons in Argentina are reversed-we are entering the intense heat of summer now, where the mid day sun is painfully hot and nights are not much cooler.  I am craving cold food and water to submerge in, and the fruit, oh the fruit!  It is high desert here, so unlike Minnesota where strawberries and blueberries are the ultimate taste of summer, in Mendoza it is stonefruit.  I returned from the organic farmer’s market this weekend with a bounty of apricots, cherries, and 2 kinds of plums, and from a friend’s house yesterday with nectarines from her tree.  Needless to say, despite the sun beaming into my kitchen, I couldn’t help but bake like crazy.  There was the obligatory cherry, apricot, plum crisp (yeah, amazing!), the nectarine scones (delish) and last, but not least, PIE.  I had to do it.  With all those juicy nectarines, and a few peaches too, I created a classic taste of summer.

Roughly chopped, ready to heat

with a little 'blonde' sugar and honey

freshly baked and ready for filling

Deliciousness

baked and browned

Ready for some summer sweet!

BASIC PIE CRUST

1 cup unbleached flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

4 T. butter, softened

1/4-1/2 cup ice water

Combine flour and butter in bowl until mixed well like coarse cornmeal.  Add water slowly and mix until dough pulls together and is soft but firm.  Knead into a ball.  Roll out on floured surface.  Place in pie pan and prick with fork.  Bake for 5 minutes before filling. Makes 2 pie crusts

FILLING

10 cups cut fruit

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp flour

Heat saucepan and combine fruit with sugars, cinnamon and flour.  Mix and heat through, just until some liquid forms-about 8 minutes.  If using berries, drain very well before heating.  Pour into prepared pie shell.  Cover with crust if using.  Bake 25 minutes in 375 degree oven.