Pear-and-Lemon Pie with Pate Brisee Crust

(16)
Prep Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
6 hrs 15 mins
Servings:
8

The crust is flakiest when served the day it's made, but the pie can be tented with foil and stored at room temperature overnight, or in the refrigerator up to two days.

Ingredients

  • 3 ¾ pounds ripe but firm Comice or Anjou pears (about 8), peeled, cored, and cut into ¾-inch wedges

  • ½ cup sugar

  • ¼ cup diced candied lemon peel

  • ¼ cup cornstarch

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • ¾ teaspoon coarse salt

  • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

  • All-purpose flour, for dusting

  • Pate Brisee for Salted Caramel Apple Pie

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

  • 1 large egg, beaten

  • 1 cinnamon stick (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees with a rack in center and a large sheet of foil on rack below. In a large bowl, gently combine pears, sugar, lemon peel, cornstarch, lemon juice, salt, and nutmeg.

  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to a 13-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Fit into a 9-inch pie dish. Pour filling into pie shell; dot butter over top. Roll out second disk of dough to a 13-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Drape over filling. Trim overhang to 1 inch; press to seal, then tuck under and crimp. Brush top with beaten egg. Cut 5 leaf-shaped vents in top crust. Insert cinnamon stick in center as a stem. Freeze 30 minutes.

  3. Bake until crust is golden on bottom and juices are bubbling in center, 1 hour, 15 minutes to 1 hour, 30 minutes (if browning too quickly, tent top or edge with foil). Let cool completely on a wire rack, about 4 hours. Cut into slices to serve.

    pear-pie-0453-d111458.jpg
    Kate Mathis
Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, November 2014

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