Citrus Pear Pie

Posted by Warren

Makes one 9-inch pie, double crust, fruit filling. Total prep 40 min

—Ingredients—

 

Pastry dough – double crust

The secret
of making
a flaky pie crust.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup ice cold water
• 1/4 cup cold corn oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

Filling

• 3 pounds pears (approximately 6 large pears)
• 1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter

 

Directions

1. Prepare the pastry: Roll the pastry and line a 9-inch pie plate with the bottom crust. Roll out the remaining dough for the top crust. Chill the pastry.
2. Preheat the oven to 425° F.
3. Pour the fresh-squeezed lemon juice in the bottom of a large bowl. Add your lemon zest to the bowl. Peel, halve and core the pears with a melon baller or corer. Be sure to remove the fiber in the center of the pear. Slice them evenly about a 1/4 inch thick into the bowl, coating them with the lemon juice as you go.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar, flour, tapioca flour, cardamom, ginger and salt. Add them to the pears just before you want to bake the pie, mix gently and then taste a pear slice. Add more sugar to taste as needed.
5. Scrape the filling into the bottom crust, dot with butter and cover it with the second crust. Trim and crimp the crust; chill the pie for 10 minutes in the freezer. Cut vent slits in the top crust. It is your option to sprinkle it with sugar or brush the top with egg white.
6. Bake the pie on a baking sheet for 10 minutes or until the crust looks dry, blistered, and blonde. Turner the oven down to 375°F, and bake for at least 30 minutes more or until the crust is golden brown, and visible juices are thickened and bubble slowly through the slits in the top crust. Check if the bottom crust has darkened. If not bake a little more and cover the top crust, so it does not burn.
7. Cool the pie completely before cutting at least a few hours. Serve it at room temperature. Store the pie uncovered in a cool place up to three days.