Mia Cucina Su Cucina

Wandering in the farmers market on a lazy Saturday morning you see peaches. You gently pick one up and smell it’s sweet mouth-watering aroma, you feel the slightly fuzzy skin, and look upon a golden red orb warm from the sun. You take a bite and feel the juice run down your chin…. this is as close as I can come to describing a peach, because words do them no justice.

Peaches are divided into clingstones and freestones, depending on whether the flesh sticks to the stone or not; both can have either white or yellow flesh. Peaches with white flesh typically are very sweet with little acidity, while yellow-fleshed peaches typically have an acidic tang coupled with sweetness, though this also varies greatly. Both colours often have some red on their skin.

I just love peaches and I have been getting them at the farmers market for the past 2 weeks. They are clingstones (stick to the pit), but there has not been that much waste. I love to make peach pie, but I found my peach cobbler recipe, so decided to make that instead. Less work and oh so delicious.

Peach Cobbler
8 Servings

Topping
1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2/3 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch of nutmeg
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

Filling
1/3 cup Instand ClearJel or cornstarch
3/4 granulated sugar (Add more depending on tartness of peaches) 
6 cup peaches, peeled & thinly sliced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Cognac
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

For topping: Mix first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add butter, cut in butter until mixture resembles course meal. Cover and refrigerate.

For filling: Stir together the sugar and thickener in a large bowl. Add the fruit, vanilla, Cognac and spices, stirring to combine.

Spoon filling in to a 9-inch deep dish-pie plate. (A regular square baking dish works well too.) Sprinkle topping over time of the fruit. Bake until peaches are tender and juices bubble thickly, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with a big dollop of whip cream.