Pie

“I may not make it into the history books. I can barely concentrate well enough to even read a history book. I know that life doesn't always turn out like you hoped, no matter how hard you try. But I have also figured out that if I put on my apron, get out the flour, sugar and butter and start cooking, I feel a sense of purpose.”

-My mom, Myra

Pear Anise Pie

Adapted slightly from The Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book

Pie Crust (the night before)

2 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 sticks cold butter, cut into ½ inch pieces

1 cup cold water

¼ cup cider vinegar

1 cup ice

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade, combine flour, salt, and sugar with a few quick pulses. Gradually add in the butter, with a few pulses after each addition, until incorporated (most of the butter pieces will be pea-size, but a few larger pieces are okay, as you do not want to overblend!).

Combine the water, ice, and cider vinegar in a measuring cup and stir to chill. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of ice water mixture over the flour mixture, and pulse the food processor 2-3 times to combine. Repeat this process (adding in ice water mixture 2 tablespoons at a time with a short pulse afterwards to incorporate the moisture into your dough) until the dough comes together in a ball, with some dry bits remaining (again, do not overblend). Take off the lid of the food processor, remove the blade, and squeeze the dry bits into the dough with your fingers (using just a dash more of the water if necessary) to combine. Shape the dough into 2 equally sized flat discs, wrapping tightly in saran wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

Pie

1 lemon

6-7 medium sized pears (enough for about 5 cups sliced)

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 ½ teaspoons anise seeds

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

4 dashes Peychaud’s bitters

Egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 teaspoon of water and a pinch of salt)

Have ready and refrigerated one pastry-lined 9 inch pie pan. You can roll out the lattice top once your filling is ready (so keep one saran wrapped disc of crust in the fridge until then).

Juice the lemon into a large bowl, removing any seeds. Prepare the pears using an apple-peeler, or core, peel and thinly slice them yourself (I love my apple peeler…definitely facilitates this process). Dredge the pear slices in the lemon juice. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar and toss gently. Set aside to soften slightly and release some of the juices, 20-30 minutes.

Toast the anise seeds in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, combine the remaining ½ cup sugar, toasted anise seeds, brown sugar, flour, allspice, salt, cinnamon, and bitters. Process until the anise seeds are chopped. Shake the sugar mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the anise seed hulls.

Drain any excess juice from the pears and toss them with the sugar mixture. Tightly layer the pears in the prepared pie shell so that there are minimal gaps, mounding them slightly higher in the center.

To make a lattice top pie, roll out your second disc of crust on a floured surface in a circle about 12 inches in diameter and about 1/8^th of an inch thick. Using a knife, trim the ragged edges off either side of the circle to square it off. Cut the circle into about 8 long strips of equal width. Take the first strip and lay it just off center across your pie. Lay the second strip perpendicular, again just off center. Lay strip number three parallel to your first strip and strip four parallel on the opposite side (at this point, you will need to weave the remaining strips into a lattice…I fear I would confuse you far more trying to explain this process than letting you just use visual logic to continue the process yourself…I believe in you).

Once you have constructed your lattice, use your thumbs and index fingers to crimp the bottom pie crust and lattice top together at the edges of the pie all the way around. I am beginning to see how difficult it is to teach this method using only my words, and I do so wish each of you could come spend time with me in my kitchen (or time with your mothers in their kitchens) so I could show you and help you learn alongside you. Chill the pie in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to set the pastry.

Meanwhile, position the oven racks in the bottom and center of your oven, and place a foil lined baking sheet on the bottom rack. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

When oven is preheated and pastry is chilled, brush pie with egg wash to coat the crust lightly. You can sprinkle the crust with demerara sugar at this point if you’d like. Place the pie on the rimmed baking sheet on the lowest rack of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the pastry is beginning to brown. Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees and move the pie to the center oven rack. Continue baking until the pastry is a deep golden brown and the juices are bubbling, about 30-35 minutes longer. Test the pears with a skewer (they should be tender).

Allow the pie to cool completely on a wire rack for about 2-3 hours. Serve at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (and heck, maybe some warmed caramel sauce).