Peel, pit, and slice the peaches to measure about 6-1/2 cups. In a large bowl, toss them with the sugar, lemon juice, and tapioca. If you like, add a little cinnamon. Turn the peaches into a large, shallow ovenproof pan, about 9-inches square, or any other shape of dish, and let it sit 15 minutes for the tapioca to work.

Meanwhile make the biscuit dough. Preheat the oven to 350F. Mix together in a medium-size bowl the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter and with a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingertips, quickly break up the butter into small pieces. Beat the egg into the buttermilk and stir into the dry ingredients to make a smooth, soft dough. Quickly knead the dough on a lightly floured board, no more than 1 minute, and roll it out to 1/3-inch thickness. With a flower- or star-shaped cookie cutter (or a plain circle will do fine), cut out the dough and lay the biscuits barely touching each other on top of the peaches .

Bake the cobbler until the topping is lightly browned and cooked through, about 45 minutes. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

moistens the dough during baking. It is often spooned on in mounds that look like cobblestones, hence the dish's name. Sometimes the topping gets heavy, so in this version it is rolled thin and cut in flower shapes, allowing the peach juice to bubble through.