Gingered Pear Pie

On my other blog I wrote about these unique and delicious Asian Apple Pears that we have an abundance of this year. We have had them sliced and added to salads tossed with a balsamic vinegarette dressing. On a cheese and cracker plate. They are especially good with brie cheese. Pies, like the one I made last night. And now that they are getting a bit past their prime, tommow will be chopped up and made into Walnut, Pear Muffins and frozen for breakfast treats.

This recipe is from an old Bon-Appetite magazine, November 1991. I know......who keeps these magazines around for 17 years? A recipke junkie, that's who! I am, however, in the middle of a huge project to divest myself of this clutter and still keep the recipies. Using the Living Cookbook program which I highly recommend, I am systematically going through the magazines and copying the recipes that appeal to me and don't seem to be duplicates. Scanning some of the photos and then .....sadly waving goodbye to my old friend the magazine is gone.


Gingered Pear Pie

One recipe of lard pie pastry (see previous apple pie recipe)

3/4 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup minced crystallized ginger

3 pounds pears, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 cup sugar

3 tbsp melted butter

2 tbsp quick cooking tapioca

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Egg Wash (one egg mixed with a tbsp of water or milk)

Make the pie crust according to the directions in the previous recipe. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate while preparing the filling.

Place raisins and ginger in a small saucepan and just barely cover with water. Simmer for about 5 minutes on a very low setting. Set aside and let raisins plump while preparing the filling and crust. The raisins can be done several days ahead. Just cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Pre heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Peel and slice the pears. I put them in a water bath that has had a bit of lemon juice added to it to keep them from turning brown. When al l pears have been sliced, drain and toss the pears with the remaining ingredients. Set aside while rolling out the crusts.

Mound the fruit in the bottom crust leaving an overhang of about 1/2 inch. I have a handy pair of kitchen scissors that I use. Roll out the top crust and place on the pie and trim to equal the bottom crust for overhang. Roll the two crusts under and flute. Save the scraps and cut out some decorative shapes. Brush the crust with the egg wash and place the decorations. Brush again with egg wash and cut a few slits for steam vents.

Place on a baking sheet, to keep spills from occuring, and bake at 400 for 1 hour or until golden brown. If the edges begin to get too brown, protect them with a strip of foil.