Pear and pumpkin pie

1 servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
1tablespoonWhole allspice berries
½Vanilla bean; split lengthwise
1tablespoonFreshly grated lemon zest; (from about 2
; lemons)
4cupsDry red wine
2cupsWater
1cupSugar
3Firm-ripe pears such as Bosc
Pastry dough for a single crust 9-inch
; pie
An egg wash made by beating 1 large egg
; yolk with 1 teaspoon water
3largesEggs
¾cupHeavy cream
cupCanned solid-pack pumpkin
½cupFirmly packed light brown sugar
2teaspoonsCinnamon
1teaspoonGround ginger
¾teaspoonSalt
1teaspoonGround allspice
teaspoonFreshly grated nutmeg
¼cupApricot jam; heated and strained
Accompaniment: ginger creme anglaise

Directions

FOR POACHED PEARS

FOR FILLING

Make poached pears:

In a 3-quart saucepan combine all poached pear ingredients except pears and boil, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Peel pears and simmer in wine mixture, covered, turning occasionally, until firm-tender, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let stand, covered, turning pears occasionally for even color, about 30 minutes. Discard poaching mixture and halve pears lengthwise. Remove stems and with a melon-baller cutter or small knife remove core. Cut pears lengthwise into ¾-inch-thick slices.

Roll out dough ⅛ inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Fit dough into a 9-inch (1-quart capacity) pie plate and trim edge, leaving a ½-inch overhang. Cut edge of dough with scissors every ½ inch to form curved points and brush edge lightly with egg wash. Chill shell 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Make filling:

In a large bowl whisk together filling ingredients until combined well.

Pour filling into shell and bake in middle of oven 35 minutes. Remove pie from oven and arrange pears decoratively on top of filling. Bake pie 15 to 20 minutes more, or until custard is set and pears are tender. Cool pie on a rack and brush pears with jam. Chill pie, covered loosely, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days. Serve pie at room temperature with creme anglaise.

Gourmet November 1994

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