Life and baking have in common that ideal outcomes can be achieved simply by showing up on time and following directions. However difficult a recipe appears, there is a process behind its creation; and however intricate this process, it can be replicated.
Lattice pies are likely a Mannerist innovation. Plates of references for some of their most stunning incarnations can be found mostly in English cookbooks, with many excellent examples in the later Neues Saltzburgisches Kochbuch (Augsburg: 1719) of Conrad Haggar, chef to Franz Anton von Harrach (1665-1727), the Prince Archbishop of Salzburg from 1709-1727 (see examples, and further excellent history of the pie, here).
A lattice pie is a double-crust pie, with the top crust cut into straps of pastry woven over a fruit filling. There are three key principles behind successful execution of this or any shortcrust pastry, where the amount of flour is twice the amount of fat: cold, precision, and moderation.
Summer Stone Fruit Pie
You will need:
Pie pan (glass, metal, or disposable)
Two pie dough crusts (ideally, make your own)
6½-7 cups (45-48 oz.) stone fruit (approx 6-8 large peaches, 16 plums, 8-12 nectarines, 20-22 apricots, or any combination thereof)
1 tbsp lemon juice
⅓ cup (71g) white sugar
⅓ cup (71g) brown sugar
⅓ cup (71g) tapioca flour
⅛ tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1 egg
1 tbsp milk
Coarse sugar (for garnish)
Prepare the bottom crust. Roll out the bottom pie crust into a 12 in. circle. Place gently inside pie pan. Trim edges to approx ½ inch beyond rim of pie pan, and trim excess. Refrigerate while preparing the rest of the pie.
Prepare the fruit. Wash fruit. Boil a pot of water. While it comes to a boil, fill a second bowl with ice water. Place fruit into boiling water for 45-60 seconds, then immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice water. Peel skins (they will slough off easily). Pit and slice into ¼ inch sections.
Prepare the filling. Add fruit to large bowl. Toss with lemon juice. Add sugars, spices, and tapioca flour. Combine and stir until there are no dry streaks left.
Fill the pie. Preheat the oven to 400º F. Remove crust from fridge. Add pie filling evenly.
Layer your lattice. Roll out remaining pie dough into a 10 in. circle. Cut into strips corresponding to the desired mesh of your lattice. Place half your strips evenly spaced across the open pie face. Fold back every other strip. Place the first cross-strip perpendicular, and fold the first set of strips back. Fold the opposite set of strips back. Place the second cross-strip perpendicular. Imagine you are weaving, slowly and painstakingly at great scale. Continue until your pie is fully latticed. Trim excess dough.
Egg wash & garnish. Make an egg wash by whisking together the egg and milk. Use a pastry brush to apply to the top of the lattice. Garnish with coarse sugar if desired.
Bake. Bake for 20 minutes. Rotate, then reduce oven temperature to 375º and continue baking for 30-40 minutes until filling is bubbling, fruit is tender, and crust is golden and browned.
Cool before eating. Remove pie from oven and cool completely, at least 3-4 hours. Place in fridge once cooled and chill overnight. Can be eaten after cooled but ideal the next morning.
Sundry tips:
Baking lends itself to asynchronous action and efficiencies can be found everywhere. For example, crust can be made the day prior and refrigerated. Filling can be made an hour or two ahead; don’t let it sit too long.
When rolling out dough, place it gently inside the pie pan. (Don’t press, stretch, or pull while doing so; otherwise it will shrink while baking.)
Flour rolling pin and surface to prevent dough from sticking. If it’s too gummy, put it back in the fridge for a bit.
The boiling water/ice water method works for skinning tomatoes, too.
Use a ruler or measuring tape to measure your lattice strips. For cutting strips, a pizza cutter is nice but a giant knife also works fine.
To make a herringbone lattice, cut your strips to ½-¼ in width, and fold back every third cross-strip.
Save the excess dough. Pinch into 2 inch sections, press flat, fill with a bit of cinnamon and coarse sugar, and fold. Once the pie is finished baking, bake these for 10-12 minutes. Snack on them while waiting for the pie to cool.
To ensure the bottom of the pie is baked through, preheat the oven with a baking sheet inside. Before baking, cover a second baking sheet with foil, turn it over, place the pie pan on top, and place all of this atop the first baking sheet that has been preheated. If the bottom of the pie is burning (which you’ll only see with a glass pan), remove the overturned baking sheet.
If the crust is darkening too quickly or appears to be burning, cover the crust with tinfoil.
If the crust doesn’t appear to be fully baked, simply bake longer.