Brandied Peach Almond Pie

Ingredients

• For the crust:
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon brandy
• 3 to 4 tablespoons cold water
• For the filling:
• 5 cups fresh peaches
• 3 tablespoons brandy
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds

Directions

1. For the crust, add the almonds, flour, butter, and sugar to a food processor. Pulse in 8 to 10 quick bursts, just until everything looks crumbly. Keep pulsing as you add the brandy, 1 tablespoon at a time, then add the water until the dough just starts coming together into a ball.
2. Move the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and shape it into a disk about 1/4-inch thick. Wrap it snugly and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
3. Set an oven rack in the center and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Take the dough out of the refrigerator. With a rolling pin, roll it into a round about 12-inches across. Fit it into a pit plate and cut away the extra dough at the edges. Cover the crust with foil, add pie weights, and bake the unfilled shell until it turns golden brown, about 10 minutes. Take it out of the oven, lift out the weights, and set the crust aside.
4. For the filling, while the crust is chilling, stir the peach slices and brandy together in a medium bowl. Cover the bowl and let the peaches stand for at least 30 minutes.
5. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Take the pan off the heat and mix in the brown sugar, flour, and almond extract until the mixture is combined. Let the topping cool until it becomes crumbly, about 15 minutes.
6. Scatter the slivered almonds across the bottom of the pie crust. Add the brandy-soaked peaches to the prepared crust over the almonds, then spread the crumbled brown sugar mixture over the top. Bake until the topping is golden brown, about 1 hour.