Recipe for the day ~ Fresh Pear Pie

Fresh Pear Pie

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

1 recipe pastry for a 9-inch double crust pie

1/2 cup white sugar

3 TBspns all-purpose flour

1/4 tspn salt

1 tspn ground cinnamon

1 tspn lemon zest

5 cups peeled and sliced pears

1 TBspn butter

1 TBspn lemon juice

 Ingredients:

**FOR THE PIE CRUST**

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tspn salt

3/4 cup shorteninbg

5 TBspns cold orange juice or as needed

Directions:

**FOR THE PIE CRUST**

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl

Cut shortening into flour mixture until mixture resemble coarse crumbs

Add orange juice a tablespoon at a time

When you squeeze a handful of the moistened pastry mix, it should form a ball

Divide the dough in half and shape into balls

Wrap in plastic and refrigerate before rolling

 **FOR THE PIE FILLING**

Preheat oven to 450

Place a baking sheet on the bottom oven rack

Combine sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon and lemon zest in a mixing bowl

Roll out half the pastry and line in a 9-inch pie pan

Arrange pear slices in layers in the pastry-lined pan

Sprinkle with the sugar mixture over each layer

Dot with butter and sprinkle with lemon juice

Roll out remaining dough for the top crust

Use your finger dipped in a small bowl of water to moisten the rim of the bottom crust

Place top crust over filling and trim the edges using kitchen shears or a sharp paring knife

Fold edges under bottom crust

Pressing to seal

Flute edges

Cut slits in top crust to allow steam to escape

Bake in oven on baking sheet for 10 minutes

Reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 40 minutes

Allow to cool for several hours before serving