peach crumble slab pie.

I feel really bad that I don't have a picture of the final product but it's been one of those weeks.  The best I can offer you is this picture which you will hopefully find just as enticing as a photo of the end result.   (UPDATE - I was able to get a picture of the last slice!  See below.)

I've developed somewhat of a love affair with slab pie.  I like that it's portable and capable of feeding a crowd.  It just begs to be consumed on a blanket in the middle of the park.  And a peach pie slab pie? Well that just says August.  

This one is absurdly good.  6 POUNDS OF PEACHES get nestled in a buttery crust and topped with a spiced crumble.  It's an epic pie perfectly capable of feeding the masses and an incredible way to close out the summer.  

Peach Crumble Slab Pie
Recipe from the NYTimes

So!  I halved the recipe (it halves brilliantly).  In the original recipe it stated it serves 12-16 (for a 9x13 pan).  I think I would serve closer to 18 - 24.  I guess I like dainty pie slices?    

For the Crust

2 ½ cups/300 grams all-purpose flour, more as needed

¾ teaspoon/4 grams fine sea salt

2 ½ sticks/10 ounces/285 grams cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 to 6 tablespoons ice water, as needed

For the Filling

6 pounds ripe peaches, nectarines or a mix, pitted and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

1 ¼ cups/135 grams packed light brown sugar, more to taste

⅓ cup/50 grams instant tapioca

Zest of 3 lemons

3 tablespoons/45 milliliters fresh lemon juice

1 ½ teaspoons/5 grams finely grated nutmeg

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped, or 1 teaspoon/5 milliliters vanilla extract

1 teaspoon/6 grams fine sea salt

For the Crumble Topping

1 ½ cups/180 grams all-purpose flour

1 cup/200 grams packed dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons/10 grams ground cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoons/3 grams ground ginger

½ teaspoon/3 grams fine sea salt

1 ½ sticks/6 ounces/170 grams unsalted butter, cubed

In a food processor, briefly pulse together flour and salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture forms chickpea-size pieces (6 to 8 1-second pulses). Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time and pulse until mixture is just moist enough to hold together. Form dough into a large ball. Wrap with plastic and flatten into a disk. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Using a lightly floured rolling pin, gently roll out dough to an 11-x-15-inch rectangle, dusting with flour if dough is sticking. Fold dough in half and transfer to a 9-x-13-inch baking dish. Carefully press crust into the bottom of the pan and completely up the edges so it’s flush with the top of the pan (you don’t need to crimp the dough). Return crust to refrigerator while you prepare the filling and crumble topping.

For the Filling: In a large bowl, toss together peaches, sugar, tapioca, lemon zest and juice, nutmeg, vanilla and salt. Let stand 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and add a little more sugar if needed.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 425 degrees. Place a large rimmed baking sheet on the oven floor to preheat. Arrange one oven rack on the lowest position and a second rack in the center position.

For the Crumble Topping: Whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Mix in butter with your fingertips until mixture is uniformly moist and comes together in large clumps.

Spoon filling into crust and top with crumble. Move baking sheet to the lowest rack and place pie on baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Move baking sheet with pie to the center rack. Continue baking until pie is golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Note: Measurements for dry ingredients are given by metric weight for greater accuracy. The equivalent measurements by volume are approximate.