A few weeks ago, along with a bunch of mummy and foodie bloggers I was invited to see a preview of the new film ‘Labour Day’. I have to admit I was a bit miffed as to how I was going to link this film to my baking blog. Then about 30 minutes into the film I got it. It was the peach pie.

 ‘Labor Day is about 13-year-old Henry Wheeler, who struggles to be the man of his house and care for his reclusive mother Adele (Kate Winslet) while confronting all the pangs of adolescence. On a back-to-school shopping trip, Henry and his mother encounter Frank Chambers (Josh Brolin), a man both intimidating and clearly in need of help, who convinces them to take him into their home and later is revealed to be an escaped convict. The events of this long Labor Day weekend will shape them for the rest of their lives.’

Now, I’m not going to give the game away and tell you the whole film (including the ending like some bloggers have done! I mean really?!?!) but I am going to share this amazing looking pie with you.

In the film Frank simply throws this pie together with a bucket full of over ripe peaches and it’s a really sensual and romantic moment (did you watch the trailer! OMG!). There’s lots of hands in the squishy peaches, all fingers entwined and gentle caressing – think Ghost and that pottery scene. Frank says that the trick to making this pie was putting a pinch of salt in the pastry and then before he added the peaches to the pastry (which he had baked blind) he sprinkled the secret ingredient – tapioca! Have you ever seen that done before? Me neither.

But what really grabbed me was the way he literally piled the peaches sky high in the dish and covered them in pastry. I mean I would never think to put such a lot of peaches in a dish like that. He was teaching Kate Winslett and her son that you don’t have to worry about it being perfect and tears in the pastry and bits crumbling off don’t matter, just press that torn piece back over the peaches and bake it. Let me tell you, it looked so delish I wanted to bake it right there and then. But then I am a bit of a sucker for a romantic moment.

So the next day I tried to recreate that pie at home and it was pretty close. I’m not a huge fan of peaches – and as they are out of season I had to use nectarines instead and they weren’t exactly ripe- in fact they were rock solid! I also didn’t peel them – which I regretted as the skin stayed hard and I think it would have tasted even better had I done that. But it tasted pretty amazing any way. But just look at it!

Labour day stunning peach pie recipe

Shortcrust pastry

• 250g plain flour
• 140g cold butter
• 2 egg yolks
• 3 tbsp cold water
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 egg white – for brushing the pies before baking
• pinch of salt

The Filling

• sprinkle of tapioca
• 8 ripe peaches peeled and cut into slices
• 50g brown sugar
• egg white for white wash

1. Sieve the flour into a bowl. Cut up the butter into small cubes then rub into the flour to form a breadcrumb consistency.
2. Mix the water and egg yolks together then pour into a well in the bowl and mix into the flour/egg mix with a knife. Add a pinch of salt
3. Keep mixing until well blended but don’t over mix or the dough will become tough and you’ll loose that light, light texture.
4. Bring all the crumbs together with your hands then wrap the dough in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
5. Heat your oven to 180ºC (Fan oven160ºC).
6. Roll out the dough and place in your dish. Scrunch up a piece of baking paper then flatten it out and place over the pastry. Fill with Ceramic Baking Beans(or rice if you don’t have baking beans). Bake for 15 minutes.

1. place the cut up peaches in a bowl and add the sugar. Use your hands to cover the peaches with the sugar- this is actually fun- I love the squidgy bit!!

1. Remove the pastry dish from the oven and take out the baking paper and baking beans – careful those beans get really hot!
2.  
3. Sprinkle tapioca into the base before adding the huge pile of peaches in the dish and covering with more rolled out pastry. make a few holes of the steam to escape and brush the whole of the top of the pie with egg white so you get that nice deep brown shiny case.

1. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
2. Serve immediately with a dollop of ice cream. Yummarge!

I have to thank my taste testers – The Poopah and Theoda who both enjoyed the pie. I think this would make a really great pie to take to someone’s house. It’s got rustic wow factor.

And the film? I have to say thcastle

at I really enjoyed it. It moved at a good slow pace. You really got to feel each situation and emotion. It is a girly film and I have to say I was in tears – big fat tears, but I’m not going to spoil it for you, I’m just going to say that I want to see it again and that’s always a good sign.

Labour Day is out in cinemas now (March 2014)

Enjoy

EmmaMT

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