Classic Peach Pie

Assemble the pie and cover it with plastic wrap, then refrigerate up to 12 hours before baking. Bake from the refrigerator, adding 10–15 minutes to the baking time. You can also bake the pie a full day ahead, wrap it at room temperature, and serve it chilled or reheated gently in a 300°F oven for 15 minutes.

Freeze an unbaked assembled pie tightly wrapped for up to 3 months; bake from frozen, adding 15–20 minutes to the baking time and tenting with foil if it browns too quickly. Freeze a baked pie up to 2 months; thaw overnight at room temperature or reheat in a 300°F oven for 20 minutes.

Use 6 pounds frozen peaches, thawed and patted dry; they've already been blanched and peeled, so skip that step and go straight to slicing. Drain them in a colander and reduce the flour to 1 tablespoon since frozen peaches release more liquid.

Too much juice or insufficient thickener will create a runny pie. Use the full 1 tablespoon cornstarch, ensure your peaches are well-drained after blanching, and let the pie cool completely before slicing—this allows the filling to set and thicken. If using extremely juicy peaches, drain ¼ cup of the liquid before pouring the filling into the crust.

A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream is traditional. Crème fraîche or a glass of sweet dessert wine also pair beautifully.

Cover the cooled pie loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat a slice in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes or eat it cold. Do not store uncovered at room temperature for more than 8 hours due to the egg wash.