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1
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
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2
Mash together cheese, bread crumbs, and walnuts together with a fork; add pepper, to taste.
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3
Freeze mixture just until firm, about 10 minutes.
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4
Scoop out center of bottom of each pear with large end of a melon-ball cutter, then continue to remove core to make a 1/4-cup cavity.
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5
Fill each cavity evenly with cheese mixture and seal bottom with a small piece of bread.
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6
Roll out pastry 1/16-inch thick into a 15-inch square on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin.
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7
Cut dough into quarters to make 4 equal pieces.
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8
Stand 1 pear in center of a pastry square and brush pear all over with egg.
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9
Bring 1 corner of pastry up toward top of pear, pressing it against pear to adhere.
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10
Repeat with adjacent corner, then generously brush extending pastry fold with egg before pressing closely against side of the pear.
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11
Repeat process with remaining 2 corners.
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12
Fold top points of pastry 1/4-inch down and brush with egg.
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13
Transfer wrapped pear to a buttered large shallow (1-inch-deep) baking pan and chill while wrapping remaining pears (make sure pears are 5 inches apart in baking pan).
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14
Chill wrapped pears 30 minutes.
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15
Bake pears in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until fruit is just tender when pierced with a knife and pastry is golden and cooked through (pastry will shrink a bit).
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16
Cool pears at least 15 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature.
