This pear pie looks impressive but is straightforward to make – there’s no need to worry about lining tart tins or blind baking.
Prefer apples? Try our free-form blackberry and apple pie, instead.
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 225g plain flour, plus extra to dust
- 3 tbsp caster sugar
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 140g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
- 1 large free-range egg
For the filling
- 4-5 pears, peeled, cored and sliced
- 1 tbsp soft light brown sugar
- ½ tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 1 free-range egg, beaten, to glaze
- Icing sugar to dust
- Double cream, whipped to soft peaks, to serve
Method
- To make the pastry, put the 225g flour, caster sugar, salt and butter into a mixing bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the ingredients together until they resemble coarse breadcrumbs. Add 1 egg, then bring the pastry together with your hands. (If it’s too dry, add a little cold water; if it’s too wet, add a little more flour.) Wrap the pastry in cling film, then chill in the fridge for 30-40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4 and line a large baking sheet with baking paper. Put the pears into the cleaned mixing bowl and toss with the brown sugar, cinnamon and 1 tbsp flour.
- Remove the pastry from the fridge and discard the cling film, then roll out on a lightly floured surface to form a rough circle (about 5mm thick, 35cm diameter). Carefully lift the pastry onto the prepared baking sheet, then arrange the pears in the middle, leaving an 8-9cm border. Using the sides of the baking paper to help lift the pastry, fold the sides up and over the pears. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg, then bake for 40 minutes or until golden.
- Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar, with a blob of whipped cream.
Nutrition
- 420kcals Calories
- 22.4g (13.3g saturated) Fat
- 6.9g Protein
- 47.9g (20g sugars) Carbs
- 4.6g Fibre
- 0.4g Salt
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