The Smoky Ingredient Alton Brown Lives By For Fruit Pies
By Alli Neal
Alton Brown may have been born in California, but he basically grew up in Georgia. As a Southern boy, he knows a good peach pie and recommends adding smoked paprika.
Adding ½ teaspoon of paprika per 4 cups of peaches and ½ cup of sugar is just enough to balance the sweetness of the filling and impart a complex flavor without overpowering it.
Smoked paprika can be hot or sweet and has a smoky flavor, but it's also bittersweet, earthy, and fruity. The tangy, citrusy, tart citric acid balances the peaches' sweetness.
Don't be afraid to add paprika to the spice mix for a sliced peach pie. This method also works with other stone fruit pies — particularly plums, cherries, nectarines, and apricots.