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
