Pear Berry Pie

I love pie..., but I am not very good at making the baked-in-the-oven kind. The crust causes me the most trouble. Something always seems to go wrong. I under-cook the bottom crust on a regular basis. When my food processor died a few years back I started using the red box of Pillsbury rolled pie crusts. I have a new food processor now, but I haven't gone back to making my own crust yet. It's the filling that makes a pie for me, mmmmmm... warm, sweet, dreamy, fruity pie filling... Is there any better dessert for the cold winter months? Fortunately, I have a lot of recipes for GREAT pies that focus on fabulous fillings. This is one of my favorites. Make it quick while pears are still in season! If you have a great pie crust recipe, use it. If not, unroll some of those Pillsbury pie crusts and master the pie filling, which is the best part of the pie anyway...

Pear Berry Pie

Single pie crust, baked in a 9 inch pie pan and cooled

For Filling
3 lbs. firm but ripe pears (I use a variety-usually 2 each of 3 varieties)
1/2 cup sugar (divided use)
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice (have used lemon before, too...just up the sugar by a tablespoonful or so)
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups fresh blueberries or raspberries or combination (can use frozen, but fresh results in a less mushy product)
1/3 cup plus 1 T. flour

Peel, core and chop pears into 3/4 inch chunks. Combine pear chunks, orange juice salt, and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a large frying pan. Saute until pears are tender, stirring often, about 6 minutes. Transfer pears to a large bowl and let cool. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While the pie crust and the pears are cooling, prepare the streusel. Stir berries, flour, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar into pear mixture. Toss to blend. Pour filing into cooled crust and then sprinkle with streusel topping. Press down slightly. Place pie in preheated 350 degree oven and bake for an hour. If streusel gets too brown, cover lightly with foil. Cool pie on rack until lukewarm. Cut into wedges and serve, which I like to do with a blog of freshly whipped cream. Serves 8.

For Streusel
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar (dark is best)
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup cold butter
1/4 tsp salt

Put all ingredients into a food processor and using on/off turns process until coarse crumbs form. Alternately, using a pastry blender (or fingers) work cold butter (grated or cut into small chunks) into flour, salt and brown sugar. Stir in chopped nuts. OR, melt the butter, pour over flour, sugar, salt and chopped nuts. Stir with fork until large crumbs form. (texture is a bit different on finished pie, but I enjoy it)

Original recipe is from epicurious.com

Thanks for being a fan,
Polly