Dough For a Two-Crust Pie

2 1/2 cups unbleached flour (I use half white and half whole wheat)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
16 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
6-8 tablespoons cold water (or a bit more, if using wheat flour)

Whisk flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl. Use a pastry blender or two knives to cut in the butter, working until pea-sized pieces of butter remain. Add 6 tablespoons of water and stir, adding remaining water as necessary until dough holds together. Divide dough into three balls. Take each one and press down and away from you with the heel of your hand to squish the dough into a long, thin strip; this technique further incorporates the butter and produces the divine flakiness of the crust. When you’re done lump it back into one piece, then divide it into two equal balls. Flatten each into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper. Refrigerate until firm.

Peach Pie
Adapted from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook

1/2 to 1 cup sugar (with good peaches, I use the lesser amount)
4 tablespoons flour
1/8 tsp nutmeg or cinnamon
4 cups peeled and sliced peaches
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a pie pan with half the pastry dough. Mix the sugar, flour and nutmeg or cinnamon in a large bowl. Add the peaches and lemon juice and toss well. Pile the fruit into the lined pie pan. Top with whatever kind of second crust you like (I prefer a lattice crust because it’s so pretty.) Flute the edges to seal, then brush with milk and dust with sugar. Bake for 10 minutes then lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake 30-40 minutes more, until the top is browned. P.S. With my frozen filling, the pie took about 15 minutes longer.