Sour cherry and peach pie

Romana ( English below): 

    Inceputul lui septembrie ne da in sfarsit frau liber la a porni cuptoarele, si desi Romania inca se joaca de-a canicula, in Olanda lucrurile nu stau la fel. Asadar, imi permit sa vorbesc acum despre o alternativa a placintelor pe care le fac bunicile mele. Plecam de la traditionalul dovleac, mar, sau branza, spre ceva cu influente vestice si arome reinterpretate. Iar versatilitatea acestui desert nu se opreste doar aici, ci continua si cand vine vorba de compozitie sau design.

Ingrediente:

Pentru aluat:

• 350 g faina
• 1/4 lg sare
• 3 Lg zahar tos
• 230 g unt rece
• 75 ml apa rece
• 1 lg pasta vanilie
• coaja de la o lamaie

Pentru umplutura:

• 400 g visine
• 2-3 piersici medii
• 2 Lg amindon
• 3 Lg suc de lamaie
• 1lg esenta de vanilie
• 30 g unt

Extra:

• 1 ou
• zahar tos

     Am inceput, evident, cu pregatirea aluatului. Intr-un bol am adaugat toate ingredientele uscate (faina, zaharul, sarea) impreuna cu pasta de vanilie si coaja de lamaie. Am adaugat apoi untul rece taiat in cubulete si am framantat cu varfurile degetelor pana cand aluatul avea aspectul unor firimituri. Am incheiat prin a adauga treptat apa pana cand aluatul a fost inchegat, apoi l-am impartit in 2 bile (3/4 si 1/4) si l-am tinut la frigider pentru o ora. 

    Esentiala in aceasta etapa este viteza. Aluatul trebuie sa fie unul usor crocant, sfaramicios, de aceea untul nu are voie sa se topeasca, asa ca trebuie sa ne miscam cat mai repede posbil. Totul se poate face, dupa preferinte, si cu ajutorul unui robot de bucatarie. 

    Cat aluatul era la frigider m-am ocupat de pregatirea umpluturii. Intr-un bol am adaugat visinele fara samburi, piersicile curatate de coaja taiate bucati si le-am amestecat cu amidonul, vanilia, sucul de lamaie si untul usor moale.

    Am uns apoi o tava rotunda cu fund detasabil (cca. 24 cm) cu unt in care apoi am asezat bila mare de aluat intinsa la un diametru cu 4-5 cm mai mare decat tava, la o grosime de cca. 2,5-3 mm. Dupa ce a am asezat bine baza de aluat in tava am adaugat umplutura. Cu bila mica de aluat puteti fi inventivi, pentru ca reprezinta "capacul" si in acelasi timp decorul placintei. Eu am ales sa folosesc fasii de aluat care se intrepatrund si inimioare. Am taiat apoi marginile de aluat si le-am intors in interior pentru a "sigila" compozitia. La final am uns placinta cu un ou batut si apoi am presarat zahar tos.

Pentru copt am preincalzit cuptorul la 200 °C/ treapta 5 pentru gaz unde am tinut placinta pentru 15 minute, apoi am redus temperatura la 180 °C/ treapta 4 pentru gaz unde am tinut-o inca 35-40 de minute, pana a capatat un aspect auriu.

Am scos placinta din tava abia dupa ce s-a racit si am servit-o asa cum imi place cel mai mult, cu o cupa de inghetata de vanilie. (Merge la fel de bine cu inghetata de lamaie sau de cocos) .

                                               
                                                         Pofta buna! :D

 English: 

    The beginning of September finally gives us the freedom to turn on the ovens, and although Romania is still playing the heatwave game, in The Netherlands things look a little bit different. Therefore, let me talk about an alternative to the pies my grandmothers do. We move from the traditional pumpkin, apple or cheese to something with western influences and reinterpreted flavors. And the versatility of this dessert doesn't only stop here, but also when it comes to filling and design.

Ingredients:

For dough:

• 350 g flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar 
• 230 g cold butter
• 75 ml cold water
• 1 tsp. vanilla paste
• zest from 1 lemon 

For filling:

• 400 g sour cherries
• 2-3 medium peaches
• 2 Tbsp. starch
• 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 30 g butter

Extra:

• 1 egg
•  granulated sugar

    I started, obviously, with the preparation of the dough. In a bowl I added all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt) along with the vanilla paste and the lemon zest. Then I added the cold butter cut intro small cubes and kneaded with the tip of my fingers until the dough had the appearance of bread crumbs. I ended up gradually adding the water until the dough was done, then split it intro two balls ( 3/4 and 1/4) and kept it in the refrigerator for an hour.

Essential in this stage is the speed. The dough must be crunchy, therefore the butter is not allowed to melt, so we have to be as fast as possible. Everything can be done, according to your preferences, with the help of a kitchen robot.

As the dough was in the refrigerator, I was busy preparing the filling. In a bowl I added the sour cherries with their pips removed and the peeled peaches cut into peaces and mixed them with the starch, vanilla, lemon juice and soft butter.

Then I greased a round tray with a removable bottom  (approx. 24 cm) with some butter and I placed the big ball of dough with a diameter of 4-5 cm greater that the tray and a thickness of approx. 2,5-3 mm. After I placds well the base dough in the tray I added the filling. With the small ball of dough you can be inventive because it is both the cover and the ornament of the pie. I have chosen to use dough strips that intertwine and small hearts. Then I cut the edges of the dough, I flipped them to the inside of the pie to "seal" the filling. In the end, I greased the pie with some egg wash and sprinkled some granulated sugar.

For the baking part I preheated the oven to 200° C/ gas 5 where I kept the pie for 15 minutes, then I lowered the temperature to 180 °C/ gas 5 andI kept it for another 35-40 minutes until golden brown.

I took the pie out of its tray only after it cooled down and served it the way I like the most, with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. ( It works just as well with lemon or coconut ice-cream).

                                                            Enjoy!