I woke up this morning to a chorus of crickets and walked outside barefoot in the thyme-blanketed grass, mist still clinging to the blue-green hills. Half-asleep, I sipped coffee from my Matt’s* mug.

As hard as it is to accept, we’ve officially moved back East. Among the thousands of things I’ll miss about Minnesota, here are a few:

• Living 10 minutes away from my sister and niece
• Sunday night dinners on the roof deck
• *Jucy Lucys from Matt’s
• Cheese curds
• The lakes
• Our kitchen window, and the hourly discord of clanging church bells

The list goes on, and on, and on….

Last week Sam and I loaded up a storage cube (read: tested the very foundations of our relationship) with all our worldly possessions and drove 22 hours East. This time we opted for “healthier” car snacks, i.e. dark chocolate covered almonds and curry cashews, and binge-listened to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

If I had to leave Minnesota to go anywhere, I’d want to come here, to my beloved hometown in the Berkshires, to the cheerful mayhem of home and my mom’s magical kitchen.

For the past few months in Minneapolis, dreading our impending move, I languished in a serious baking rut. But five minutes at home (oh gas stove, how I’ve missed you!!), and all I want to do is bake.

I strategically packed my books into boxes, not to be opened until October, with the exception of one. Dining In, by Alison Roman, is one of those cookbooks that takes up permanent residence on your pantry shelf.

Why should you take the time to make these, you ask? Because a peach-raspberry hand pie is the single smallest unit in which to fit the entirety of summer.

For the crust, you can use Alison’s or mine, or yours.

5 from 2 votes

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Peach & Raspberry Hand Pies

Adapted very slightly from Dining In by Alison Roman

Ingredients

• 1 recipe pie crust of your choice
• All purpose flour, for rolling
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups fresh raspberries
• 2 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (or slightly more, depending on the sweetness of your fruit)
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup Demerara sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper 

2. Roll the pie dough on a lightly floured surface about 1/8 inch thick (no thicker than 1/4 inch). Transfer dough to parchment-lined sheet and chill in the freezer for 5 minutes (this will make the dough easier to work with).

3. Make an egg wash by beating the egg with 1 teaspoon water. Set aside.

4. In a small bowl, combine the raspberries, peaches, sugar, lemon zest, and thyme. Mix gently to combine and set aside. 

5. Using a 4 1/2 inch ring cutter (or the rim of a water glass), cut out 16 circles. Place 8 circles on the baking sheet and place in the freezer to cool for a few minutes. Using your rolling pin, roll out the remaining 8 circles to be slightly larger in circumference (by about 1/2 an inch). 

6. Remove the smaller circles from the freezer and place a large spoonful of peach-raspberry mixture in the center of each one. Brush egg wash around the edges of each circle. Place a 1/4 inch cube of butter on the top of each fruit pile.

7. Place the larger dough circles on top of the smaller ones, pressing the edges down around the fruit. Using the tines of a fork, press to seal the pies. Brush the tops of each pie with egg wash and sprinkle generously with Demerara sugar. Using a sharp paring knife, cut a few slits in the top of each pie to allow steam to escape. 

8. Place the pies in the oven and bake until the juices start bubbling and the crust is, as Alison says, "deliciously golden brown, the color of a perfect croissant," about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool before devouring.

♥

Happy baking!