Gingery Pear Fig Pie Food

PEAR-GINGER PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Sift the flour, baking powder and fine salt into a large bowl. Cut in the butter and lard with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture looks like coarse meal with pea-size bits of butter. Beat the egg yolk, vinegar and 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water in a liquid measuring cup with a fork. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and gently stir with a fork until just moistened. Gently gather into a ball, then shape into a disk on a lightly floured surface. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Roll out the dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate. Fold the overhanging dough under itself and crimp the edge with your fingers; set aside.
• Make the filling: Gently toss the pears with the lemon zest, lemon juice, ginger and flour in a bowl. Spread the marmalade on the bottom of the pie crust. Add the pear mixture, keeping the pears as flat as possible.
• Make the topping: Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and kosher salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until fine crumbs form. Scatter the topping over the filling and gently pat down.
• Bake the pie 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake until the topping is lightly browned and the filling is bubbling, about 40 more minutes (cover with foil if the topping is browning too quickly). Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.

GINGER PEAR PIE

Steps:

• preheat oven to 425.
• combine first 6 ingredients in a saucepan stir in pear slices.
• bring to a boil on medium heat and boil for 1 minute.
• add butter and pour into pie shell.
• for topping combine flour, brown sugar, and ginger in a bowl.
• cut in butter until mixture becomes crumbly.
• stir in pecans and sprinkle over pears.
• bake for 20-25 minutes until topping is golden brown.

BRANDIED PEAR, PRUNE AND FIG PIE

Steps:

• For Crust: Blend flour, sugar and salt in processor. Using on/off turns, cut in butter and cream cheese until coarse meal forms. With machine running, pour just enough water down feed tube to form moist clumps. Gather dough into ball. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour. (Can be made 2 days ahead.)
• For Filling: Mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. Mix in pears, prunes and figs. Sprinkle brandy over and mix well. Let stand 15 minutes to allow juices to form.
• Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 400° F. Roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured surface to 14-inch-diameter round. Transfer to 10-inch-diameter glass pie dish; gently press dough into place. Spoon filling into crust, mounding slightly in center. Roll out second dough disk on lightly floured surface to 14-inch-diameter round. Drape dough over filling. Trim dough overhang to 1/2 inch. Press edges together to seal and fold under. Crimp edge decoratively. Brush top of crust (but not edge) with glaze. Cut several small slits in crust to allow steam to escape.
• Bake pie until crust is golden brown and pears are tender when pierced through steam vents, about 50 minutes. Cool slightly and serve.

PEAR AND FIG PIE WITH HAZELNUT CRUST

Steps:

• Finely grind nuts, sugar and salt in processor. Blend in flour. Add butter and cut in using on/off turns until butter is in rice-size pieces. Blend in 4 tablespoons ice water, adding more water by tablespoonfuls until dough comes together in moist clumps. Gather dough into ball. Divide in half; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic; refrigerate until cold, about 45 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Add pears and toss to blend.
• Roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish; fill with pear mixture. Roll out second dough disk on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round; place atop filling. Trim overhang of top and bottom crusts to 1/4 inch; press together and fold under. Crimp edge decoratively. Cut several slits in top crust to allow steam to escape.
• Bake pie 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake pie until juices bubble thickly through vents and crust is golden, about 50 minutes longer. Cool pie on rack 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PEAR-GINGER PIE

Steps:

• To make the topping, in a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, and 1 pinch of salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or large fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside until ready to use.
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400˚F.
• In a large bowl, combine the pears, remaining sugar, remaining flour, remaining lemon zest, the ground and crystallized ginger, the currants, and 1 pinch of salt. Pour into the prepared pie crust and sprinkle evenly with the topping.
• Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350˚F., and continue to bake for 45 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly around the edges, the crust is golden, and the center of the pie is tender when pierced with a knife.
• Cool to room temperature before slicing and serving.
• Flaky Pie Crust Dough
• In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Sprinkle 3 to 4 tablespoons water over the mixture 1 tablespoon at a time while stirring the mixture with a fork. Add enough water to make the dough cohesive. Gently gather the dough with your hands and pat it firmly into a ball. (This dough is best when rolled out immediately.)
• To roll out the dough, press it into a 7-inch circle on a sheet of plastic wrap. Place another large sheet of plastic wrap on top of the dough. Roll the dough from the center into a 12-inch circle, flipping the dough (including the plastic) once or twice while rolling. With each flip, lift the plastic wrap from the surface of the dough to let the dough stretch, and then lay it back on the dough. When finished, lift the top piece of plastic wrap off the dough. Invert the dough, holding it from the underside with the remaining plastic wrap, into a 9-inch pie pan. Gently press the dough to mold it to the shape of the pan. Peel the plastic wrap off the dough.
• Trim the edges, leaving 1/2 inch of dough overhanging. Fold the overhanging dough under and crimp the edges to form a decorative rim. Chill until ready to use.
• Make Ahead
• Cover and refrigerate the pie for up to 5 days.

GINGERED PEAR PIE WITH GOLDEN RAISINS

Steps:

• Combine raisins and ginger in heavy small saucepan. Add enough water to just cover. Simmer over low heat until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Cool completely.
• Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Combine pears and next 6 ingredients in bowl. Stir in raisin mixture. Roll out 1 pie crust disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick). Roll up dough on rolling pin and transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie plate. Gently press into place. Trim edges of crust, leaving 1/4-inch overhang. Spoon pear mixture into pan, mounding in center.
• Roll out second crust disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch-diameter round. Roll up on rolling pin and unroll over pie. Trim edges, leaving 3/4 -inch overhang. Fold overhang of top crust under edge of bottom crust. Pinch edges together to seal. Crimp edges to make decorative border. Gather and reroll scraps. Cut out decorative shapes. Beat egg with milk in small bowl for glaze. Brush top of pie with glaze. Make several slashes in top crust so steam can escape.
• Bake pie until crust is golden brown and juices bubble up through slashes, covering crust edges with foil if browning too quickly, about 1 hour. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

PEAR, FIG, AND WALNUT PIE

Steps:

• Bring wine, figs, and star anise to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat, and simmer until figs are softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer figs to a large bowl. Cook liquid over medium-high heat until reduced to a syrup, about 3 minutes; discard star anise. Pour syrup over figs.
• Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to a 13-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Trim dough, leaving a 1-inch overhang; refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Roll out second disk to a 13-inch round. Cut out steam vent in center with a cookie cutter; refrigerate or freeze dough round and cutout until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Peel and core pears; slice into 1/4-inch-thick wedges. Add pears, walnuts, lemon juice, granulated sugar, salt, and cornstarch to figs and syrup; stir until well combined. Spoon into pie plate, piling high in center. Dot with butter; lightly brush edge of dough with water. Drape second disk of dough over pin; center over filling. Gently press around filling to fit; trim dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold edge of top crust under bottom one; crimp to seal. Brush water on bottom of cutout; press onto top crust. Beat egg yolk with cream; brush all over dough. Sprinkle pie generously with sanding sugar; freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F, with rack in lower third.
• Transfer pie plate to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, and bake until just golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F. Bake until juices are bubbling and crust is deep golden brown, about 1 hour. If edges brown too quickly, cover with a foil ring (see page 324). Let pie cool completely on a wire rack.