This rustic pie combines just a few ripe pears with brown sugar and candied ginger to create a luscious small dessert. A little Ginger Pear Pie provides for 4 to 6 servings. It’s usually just enough to share with my children, or another couple, while fresh from the oven and still warm.
Pie Season
With autumn in the air I start thinking about pies. My family, not usually big pie eaters, enjoy fruit pies as a seasonal right of passage. Apple Pie is the most requested. I also like to make Peach Pie and Pear Pie.
As the seasons of my life change, however, I find there are hardly enough folks around my table these days to eat a normal sized pie, especially one made in today’s most available pie dish, what seems to me an oversized 9 1/2-inch deep dish pyrex pie plate.
Normally I would use an 8-inch pie dish. This is the size of most vintage pie plates and you can find them new if you look carefully. I stocked up on those a while back. Still, with just two or three around the table, I am finding even a full 8-inch pie is larger than I would like.
Finding Just the Right Size
I have been wanting a set of 6-inch pyrex tart pans with a fluted edge. They don’t make them anymore but you can occasionally find a few for sale on eBay. Unfortunately I’m not very good at the eBay auction process. I “watch” a set from time to time but ultimately forget to check when the auction is ending and am outbid.
Meanwhile I keep making “little pies” in my 8-inch pie plates. Instead of lining the dish with one layer of pastry crust and topping with another, I lay the bottom crust loosely in the pan, put in however much filling seems right for the number I expect for dinner, and then fold the bottom crust over the filling. Finally I top the exposed center with a little streusel or a few cutouts from leftover bits of dough.
This particular recipe enhances the flavor of fresh pears with the caramel tones of brown sugar and the lively warmth of ginger. A few sliced almonds in the streusel topping adds texture to the crumbs. The finished pie provides a moderate slice for 4 to 6 people. It’s usually just enough to share with my children or another couple while fresh from the oven and still warm. A little whipped cream or ice cream adds a nice finish but isn’t necessary.
Enjoy!
A Little Ginger Pear Pie
4-6
servings20
minutes30
minutes50
minutesThis little pie combines just a few ripe pears with brown sugar and candied ginger, then tops it with crumbs of almond streusel to create a luscious small dessert.
Ingredients
Pastry for a one crust pie (You can use the recipe for Nearly Foolproof Pie Dough, your own favorite recipe or a ready made pie crust.)
- Streusel Topping:
1 Tablespoon flour
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon sliced almonds or hazelnut pieces, toasted
- Pie Filling:
3-4 sliced pears (about 3 cups)
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/3 cup brown sugar
pinch of salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon finely diced candied ginger
1 egg white
a teaspoon or so of coarse decorating sugar, if desired
Directions
- Fit the pastry into an 8-inch pie dish leaving an unfinished edge of 1 to 1 1/2 inches of dough at the rim. Brush the bottom center of the pie pastry with a little egg white. Set aside.
- Make the streusel topping: Place 1 Tablespoon each of flour, brown sugar and butter in a small bowl. Mash together with a fork or fingers until crumbly. Stir in the toasted almond pieces. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.
- Make the pie filling: Toss pear slices with the lemon juice. In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, salt, flour, ground ginger and candied ginger. Sprinkle the mixture over the sliced pears and stir to combine.
- Assemble the pie: Pour the pear mixture into the prepared crust. Fold the unfinished edge loosely over the filling. Brush the crust edge with a little egg white and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the exposed pie filling. Decorate with small cutouts from any leftover scraps of dough, if desired.
- Bake: Place the pie in a preheated oven at 425F for approximately 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven. Serve warm.
Danielle – I hope it was good! I've enjoyed this pie several times over the past few weeks. The ginger and pear make a memorable combination.
Grace – Teenaged! Absolutely. I love it!
it's not a baby pie, it's not a full-grown pie, so it must be a teenaged pie. lovely. i like the rustic-edged crust a lot!
I was looking at this, wishing I could make it, when suddenly I realized that I have pears in my fridge and ginger in a basket in my kitchen. One ginger pear pie, coming up.
Alanna – Deal! 🙂
Love-love the informality of the crust, very cool idea, Lis. I've been after small pie pans too, let's make a pact, whoever finds them first, buys four, two for you, two for me. 🙂 One each for the freezer.