Pear-Ginger Pie

I was probably about 7 years old.  We were living in California at the time and preparing to leave in  the coming months.  It was my brother's birthday and I'm not sure why exactly but he didn't have a cake that year.  He had pie. 

He had this crazy, amazing pie with looooong skinny candles in it.  And once I tasted it, I don't really remember anything else about that night.

But I'll never forget my dad's first pie.

Pear-Ginger Pie

Recipe from my dad

Flaky Pie Dough (double crust):

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ cup cake flour

¼ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

2 sticks unsalted butter

5-6 tbsp water

 

1.  Mix dry ingredients together, cut in the butter using either your fingers or a pie crust mixing tool until it is like meal with no large pieces of butter.  Add the water and toss with a fork until the dough holds together.  

2. Cut the dough into two and form two separate 4-6 inch disks and wrap each in plastic.  Chill for at least 45 minutes.

 

Pear and Ginger Pie:

2 ½ pounds of firm, ripe pears (about 6-8 pears)

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

1/3 cup sugar

3 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tbsp unsalted butter

 

Glaze:

1 egg

Pinch of salt

 

1.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Roll out one of the dough disks into an 11 inch crust  that is 1/8 to ¼ inch thick.  Fit without stretching into a 9 inch pie pan.  Trim the dough even with the edge of the pan.

Little sprinkling of the flour-sugar mixture

2.  Peel, quarter and core the pears and cut each quarter crosswise into 5 or 6 slices.  Place the pears in a large bowl and toss with the grated ginger.

Some of my pears were on the small side, so I used 9 total for this pie

3.  Combine the sugar and flour and sprinkle 2 tbsp of the mixture over the pastry in the pan.  Pour the remaining sugar and flour over the pears and toss gently to mix.  Turn the filling into the prepared pastry shell and smooth the top as much as possible.  Dot the filling with the butter.

Butter makes everything better, except the way my pants fit.

4.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out the remaining dough to an 11 inch disk and fold the dough in half.  Place the folded dough on the surface of the filing and line up the fold with the center of the pie.  Unfold the dough.  Trim the edge of the dough so that there is an even ½ inch edge of overhang.  Tuck the excess dough under the edge of the bottom crust.  Flute the edge of the crust.  Cut 3 or 4 vent holes in the center of the top crust.  Beat the egg and salt together and paint the top of the pie with the glaze.

Glossy!!

5.  Bake the pie on the bottom rack of the oven for 15 minutes.  Yes, the bottom rack; do not freak out.  Unless your oven does crazy temperature things, the crust will NOT burn.  After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 35 minutes longer, or until the crust is deep golden and the juices are just beginning to bubble up.  Let the pie cool on a rack.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

*drooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool*

 

Recommended by the Pie Man himself:

Enjoy 2 – 3 glasses of white wine while you are preparing the pie.