Comice Pear Crisp Food

COMICE PEAR CRISP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Toast the nuts until fragrant, about 7 or 8 minutes, and chop them medium-fine. Combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces. Work it into the flour mixture with your fingers until crumbly. Add the chopped nuts and mix well - the topping should hold together when squeezed. (The topping can be prepared up to a week ahead and refrigerated.)
• Put the diced pears in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and taste; adjust if necessary. Sprinkle the flour over the pears and mix gently. Turn the mixture into an earthenware dish just large enough to hold the fruit, slightly mounded at the center. Spoon the topping over the pears, pressing down lightly. Place the dish on a baking sheet to catch any overflow and bake on the center rack of the oven for 40 to 50 minutes, until the topping is dark golden brown and the juices have thickened slightly. Serve warm with ice cream or Armagnac-flavored whipped cream.
• Variations: Other fruits may be substituted with the same general proportions, but some fruits require more or less sugar and flour, depending on their natural sweetness and juiciness. Rhubarb, for instance, requires more of both; apples require no flour at all.

PEAR AND HUCKLEBERRY CRISP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, toss fruit with sugar and transfer to a cobbler dish. In a separate bowl, mix flour with the brown sugar. Add butter and mix with a pastry knife until crumbly. Spoon on top of fruit and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

COMICE PEAR, DRIED FRUIT, AND HUCKLEBERRY CROSTATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. To make the topping, measure the flour, polenta, sugar, salt, baking powder, and aniseeds into a food processor or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the butter and pulseor mix on medium-low speed until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the egg into the well and toss the egg and flour together lightly and thoroughly with you fingers until evenly mixed. The mixture will not adhere in the manner of a dough, but will clump together if pressed in your palm. Set aside until needed. To make the filling, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss well until well mixed. Turn into a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Sprinkle the topping over the filling in a even layer. Do not press down. Place the dish on a baking sheet to catch the drips and place in the oven. Bake until the juices are bubbling up around the topping and the top is crisp, and golden brown, about 1 hour. Serve with ice cream if desired.

PEAR CRISP

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 F degrees.
• Combine pears with white sugar, lemon juice, and lemon peel.
• Place in greased 8 inch square baking dish.
• Combine oatmeal, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and ginger.
• Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.
• Sprinkle crumb mixture over pears.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until topping is crisped.
• Serve warm.