Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- For the Dough:
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup shortening (preferably non-hydrogenated)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- .
- For the Peaches:
- 6 large or 8 medium ripe fresh peaches
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 to 3 teaspoons cinnamon
Preparation:
First, make the dough: In a large bowl, beat together the sugar and the egg. Add the shortening and vanilla extract, and continue beating until smooth.
Add the flour and baking powder, and mix with a heavy wooden spoon or beaters until the dry ingredients are evenly incorporated and the dough begins to pull together.
Form the dough into a ball, flatten into a disk, and wrap well in foil or plastic wrap. Chill the dough for 1 to 2 hours.
Prepare the peaches: Bring a large stockpot of water to a rolling boil. Have a large bowl or pot of ice water nearby.
Rinse the peaches and cut a small "x" in the bottom of each. Drop the peaches in the boiling water for about 45 to 60 seconds, or just until the skins begin to loosen.
With a large slotted spoon, fish the blanched peaches out of the boiling water and transfer to the ice water to stop them from cooking and help loosen the skins. (You can also transfer the peaches to a large colander and run them under very cold water until they are cool enough to handle.)
Slip the skins off the peaches. Slice the peaches into thin wedges and place in a large bowl. Add the sugar and cinnamon and toss to coat. Set aside.
Assemble and bake the Merba: Preheat the oven to 350° F. Pat the chilled dough into a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish, or 2 9-inch round pie plates. (The dough should cover the bottom and come up the sides of the baking dish.)
Arrange the peaches evenly in the crust. Spoon a little of the cinnamon and sugar syrup over the peaches.
Bake the Merba in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until the crust is golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Slice into squares and serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Leftover Merba may be kept well wrapped in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Enjoy!