Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Make the pie crust according to the instructions in that recipe. It makes 2 crusts, but you can always freeze on to have on hand for future use.

Roll out the pie crust on a lightly floured surface until it is slightly larger than a 9-inch pie plate. Roll the pie crust onto the rolling pin, then transfer to the pie plate. Tuck the edges under and crump with thumb and forefinger, a fork, or in some other decorative manner for a finished look. Dock the pie crust all over the bottom and sides with the tines of a fork. I like to freeze my pie crust for 15 minutes at this point before baking.

Line the pie crust with a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill it with pie weights, dried beans, pennies, or even sugar. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and the liner. Return the pie crust to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely.

In a medium saucepan, combine 3 cups of the peaches with the sugar, cornstarch, and water. Set this over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently until the peaches start to break down and the juice they release thickens from the cornstarch, about 7-10 minutes. It will be a very gloopy and thick gell at this point. Remove from the heat and add the almond extract, if using. Let the filling cool completely.

Once the peach gel has cooled, add the remaining sliced fresh peaches and gently stir to coat. Transfer the peach filling to the pie shell and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set up a bit. Decorate with swirls of sweetened, freshly whipped cream on top of each slice before serving.