Recipe - Le Poirat (Normandy Pear Pie)

2 3 firm Anjou or Bosc pears
Granulated sugar (for
sprinkling)
One half cup Whipping cream
2 cup Flour
2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1 cup Chopped walnuts, ground
10 tablespoon Butter/margarine
One half cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla (I use almond
extract)
1 One half tablespoon Water

Source: Grande Diplome, vol. 11, p. 121

Yield: One 9" pie

9" flan ring or springform pan; 21/2" cookie cutter

Make the pastry dough: sift the flour with the cinnamon and add the ground
waluts. Add the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, and water and work together
until smooth dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour [this
step is necessary to let the dough "rest". Resting the dough will relax the
flour and keep the dough from getting tough].

Set oven at 400:F.

Roll out 2/3 of the dough on a lightly floured board and line the flan
ring. Roll out the remaining dough and cut into a circle large enough to
cover the top of the pie; cut a circle with the cookie cutter in center of
the top.

Pare, core, and quarter the pears. Arrange the pear quarters in the
doughlined pan, with the thin ends of the pears meeting in the center.
Cover with the dough circle and press the dough edges together to seal
them. Brush with a little water and sprinkle generously with sugar.

Bake the pie in the heated oven for 15 minutes, then turn down the heat to
350:F and bake 2530 minutes longer, or until the pears are tender.

Whip the cream until it holds a soft shape and just before serving, spoon
it into the center opening of the pie. Serve pie warm or room temperature.

Posted to JEWISHFOOD digest V96 #114

From: Brian Mailman bmailman@hooked.net

Date: Mon, 30 Dec 1996 09:48:58 0800