Masala Spiced Pear Pie

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350a F. Divide the pie dough in half and roll out one piece to line the pie pan. Trim the edge to hang over about 1 inch. Place in the fridge to rest. Separate remaining piece into 2 or 3 small balls of dough and roll each into rectangles make lattice strips. Place the lattice strips on a tray lined with paper and set these in the fridge to rest while you make the filling.

2. 2

   In a mixing bowl, rub the sugar together with the cornstarch, lemon zest, vanilla bean, and the spices. Gently peel the pears, cut them in half and using a small scoop, remove the core, stem and the blossom end. Cut the halves to make long, thin quarters and slice them 1/2 inch thick. Measure out 6 cups for the pie. Toss the pears in the sugar blend and pour it into the prepared pie shell. Top the pie with the lattice strips, trim the excess from the lattice strips and roll the bottom crust up over them to form a ridge and then flute it with your finger tips. Place the pie on a sturdy baking sheet that is lined with paper or foil and greased generously.

3. 3

   To bake the pie, brush the egg wash over the top of the pie and sprinkle with the coarse sugar. Place it in the oven and bake until the juices in the center are boiling gently, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Allow the pie to cool to room temperature before cutting.

4. 4

   Place the blacberries and juice in a strainer to drain. Measure out 1 1/2 cups. If you do not have that much, gently press the berries to release more. If necessary, pulse them in the blender and then strain them with a fine mesh strainer. The idea is to have juice without seeds.

5. 5

   Place the juice, sugar, and vanilla pod in a small stainless steel pot and cook over medium heat to melt the sugar and to bring to a gentle boil. Adjust the heat to keep it at a gentle simmer and allow it to reduce to 1/2 cup. Remove the vanilla pod and chill before serving.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.