Taste Level: GR

Cost: $20 and under

Serves: 4-8

Prep Time: 50-55 min.

Cook Time: 45-50 min.

Difficulty: 2

Zo made this pie from one of her old Gourmet Magazines (We think it was a 2000 issue.)  We made some of our Salted caramel ice cream to go over it and it was so Mmm Mmm good!  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Pie

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup dark brown sugar (packed)

2 1/2 lb firm-ripe Anjou pears (about 5, peeled, cored and cut into 6 wedges)

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into bits

1 large egg (beaten with 1 tbsp warm water)

1 tbsp sugar

Pastry

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 stick cold unsalted butter (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)

1/4 tsp salt

3 to 5 tbsp ice water

Pastry

Blend together flour, butter, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps.

Drizzle 3 Tbsp ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated.

Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn t hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 Tbsp at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated, then test again. (Do not overwork mixture or pastry will be tough.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together, with a pastry scraper if you have one, and press into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

Pie

Put a baking sheet on middle rack of oven and preheat oven to 425°F

Whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, then whisk in brown sugar, breaking up any lumps. Gently toss pears with brown sugar mixture, lemon juice, and vanilla and let stand 5 to 15 minutes to macerate fruit

Roll out 1 piece of dough (keep remaining disk chilled) on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Roll out remaining piece of dough into a 13-inch round. (Reserve scraps.)

Transfer filling to shell. Dot with butter, then cover with pastry round. Trim edges, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang (reserve scraps). Press edges together to seal, then fold under. Lightly brush top crust with some of egg wash, then cut 3 (1-inch-long) vents.

Roll out dough scraps about 1/8 inch thick and cut out leaf shapes with cutters (or a knife). Arrange decoratively on top of pie, pressing gently to help them adhere. Lightly brush top crust and cutouts with some of egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Bake pie on hot baking sheet 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 375°F and bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes more. Cool to warm or room temperature, 2 to 3 hours. Enjoy.