Kathy's Peerless Pear Pie

A caramelized nut topping glazes the top of this spiced Asian pear pie. Use the 9-inch pie pastry (double the recipe), or buy a refrigerated pastry (15-oz. package; use at room temperature). Follow steps 4 and 5 of pastry recipe to roll half the dough for bottom crust and to line pan (don't fold or flute edge). If making pie up to 1 day ahead, cover and chill. To warm cold pie, bake uncovered in a 350° oven 10 to 15 minutes.

Yield: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 3/4  cup  granulated sugar
• About 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons  ground cinnamon
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground allspice
• 6  cups  thinly sliced peeled firm-ripe Asian pears (about 3 lbs.)
• 2  tablespoons  lemon juice
• 9-inch pie pastry for a double-crust pie (see notes)
• 5  tablespoons  butter or margarine
• 3/4  cup  firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/3  cup  honey
• 1/2  cup  coarsely chopped pecans

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, mix granulated sugar, flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Add pears and lemon juice; mix.

2. Mound fruit in bottom crust of pie pastry in pan so that it's higher in the center than at the edges. Cut 2 tablespoons butter into small pieces and dot over pear mixture.

3. On a lightly floured surface, with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll remaining pastry into a 1/8-inch-thick round about 12 inches wide. Center over fruit. Fold edge of top pastry under edge of bottom one flush with pan rim; crimp together to seal. Flute edge decoratively. With a small, sharp knife, cut several slits in top pastry. Set pie in a foil-lined 12-inch pizza pan or 10- by 15-inch baking pan.

4. Bake on the bottom rack of a 375° oven until juices bubble under slits near center of pie, 50 to 55 minutes (40 to 45 minutes in a convection oven).

5. In a 1- to 1 1/2-quart pan over medium heat, stir 3 tablespoons butter until melted. Stir in brown sugar, honey, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; cook, stirring often, until mixture bubbles all over, 2 to 4 minutes. At once, stir in nuts and spoon mixture evenly over hot pie. Let cool on a rack about 3 hours. Cut into wedges.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

542 (37% from fat)

Protein:

3.5g

Fat:

22g (sat 8.8)

Carbohydrate:

89g

Fiber:

4g

Sodium:

199mg

Cholesterol:

31mg