COMICE SAFFRON PEAR PIE – GOAT
Fresh Comice pears with brown sugar, saffron, cinnamon and orange zest with a touch of white Balsamic baked in a brown sugar and balsamic THIN SKIN pastry dough! Everybody will eat this fine crust!
Serves 6-9
AFC ClipBoard: Our Seattle family sends us special pears each Christmas and we certainly do appreciate and love those pears and them too!! This is what I chose to create with love with these special pears this year. So juicy, tender and sweet.
Not everyone is a fan of saffron. It’s an acquired taste, but it truly does team up perfectly with these perfect pears!
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Thin Skin Pastry Dough: Makes top and bottom dough for 9 inch pie
2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 c. light brown sugar
1 t. salt
1 stick cold margarine
1 T. white Balsamic vinegar
1/3 c. ice water
In large bowl combine flour, sugar and salt. Stir to evenly distribute.
Shred margarine, with a light touch, over large holes of hand-held grater into flour bowl.
Stir to coat with flour, without mashing.
Add vinegar and water all at once.
Stir with two forks to moisten all surfaces. Every surface.
Using hands now, bring all the flour-moistened bits together, lightly kneading just enough to form it all into a ball, leaving nothing behind.
Place on plain surface with no flour and form into a flattened oval shape about 1 inch thick.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 20-30 minutes in the coldest part of the refrigerator.
When ready to roll out dough, remove from refrigerator and cut in half.
Lightly flour a rolling surface, then pile a little to the side to add as you go.
Place dough on rolling surface, lightly sprinkle with flour, then begin to knead, incorporating the flour into the dough. Use only as much as you need to make the dough smooth and non-sticky.
- We made the dough a little sticky initially so we could judge how much flour we need to add after it set in the refrigerator. It’s easier to add flour than to add water once formed into a ball.
Form the dough into a ball, then flatten smoothly with hands.
Begin the roll from the center out.
Lift the dough, rub counter with a little flour, replace dough on opposite side and roll again.
Do this FLIP repeatedly till the dough is evenly thin and larger than the pie plate you use.
- The rolled out dough should be firm enough to be able to lift it without tearing and stretching. As you roll you’ll be able to determine this and add flour as needed. Don’t roll it all out and then find it’s too sticky. That’s why we lift and flip over, and roll and flip over, repeatedly to judge for this quality as we roll.
Cut off the jagged edges around the dough
Lightly oil the total inside bottom, sides and rim of pie plate with olive oil.
Fold dough in half. Lift up to place it like a half moon on top of the plate, halfway on it. Then lift the edge of the folded side up and over to completely cover the plate.
Press the dough to the plate – every inch of it – molding it to the plate.
Trim the dough skirt, by cutting it flush with the outer edge of the rim.
Pour the pears with the juices into the pie plate, being careful not to break the dough. Even out the pear slices by gently pressing with fingers.
Knead and roll the second dough the way you did the first.
Fold and then cover pie plate. For this pie I pinched the top to the bottom dough, without wrapping it under, then rolled it inward toward the center just a bit then cut it off flush with the rim, leaving just a hint of a crust. Most of us don’t even want the crust part, so why not make it a lot smaller?
Brush the top with extra virgin olive oil, including the edge.
Using sharp knife tip, cut several slits into crust to allow for steam to escape while baking.
Bake in preheat 400 degree oven for 25 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350 degrees.
Cover pie with large piece of foil without crimping it. Just lay it over the top, being sure to cover the entire surface.
Bake another 25 minutes or till done to your liking.
Cool on wire rack. Serve warm or chilled. Top with veg whip cream or veg ice-cream, or eat it plain.
- Use leftover dough from trimmings for other purpose.
Pear Filling For Pie:
6 fresh, ripe comice pears
1/3 c. light brown sugar
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1 T. cornstarch
1/2 t. salt
1 T. white Balsamic vinegar
1 pinch saffron threads, crushed between fingers
zest of 1 orange
Cut off the tips where the stems grow from each pear and discard.
Cup pear in one palm and slice pear with the other hand: Using paring knife, slice from top to bottom through to the core at about 3/8 inch wide at the center. Drop slice into large bowl, and discard core. Repeat with remaining pears.
- Keep skins on. No need to peel.
Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt, vinegar, saffron and orange zest.
Using hands, gently lift and turn over slices to coat with added ingredients, trying not to break the pears. Smooth top, gently pressing pears into their own juices. Set aside till ready to use.
Return to top of page to complete the pie.
CHEF DAVIES-TIGHT™ 