Before a pie can be made from fresh peaches, some preparation must be done. The peaches must be peeled and pitted before the filling can be made. When choosing peaches for pie, select only firm, ripe fruits. Damaged or bruised fruits may yield undesirable off tastes in the finished pie. Some varieties of peaches to consider for pies are Redskin, Red Haven and Sun High. You will need approximately four pounds of peaches for a single pie.

Fill a stockpot half full of water and bring the water to a boil.

Place the peaches into the boiling water and allow to cook for one minute. Remove the peaches from the water with a slotted spoon and submerge in cold water for an additional 20 to 30 seconds. This will crack the skins and make the peaches easier to peel.

Peel and slice the peaches into 1/2-inch slices.

Mix together the 1/8 cup of cornstarch, 1/3 cup of cold water and the 1/2 cup of sugar in a large sauce pan.

Pour in the boiling water and cook for three minutes. Add the orange-flavored gelatin dessert and cook for an additional minute.

Remove from the heat and stir in the peach slices.

Pour the mixture into a prepared pie shell and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours or until the filling is set.