Serves a Crowd

New England Pear Harvest Pie

by:
September 15, 2011
5
4 Ratings
New England Pear Harvest Pie
  • Serves 8, more or less
Author Notes

Elsie Masterton's Blueberry Hill Kitchen Notebook has a German Peach Pie which delighted me when I made it, and stayed in my mind as a favorite, as a memory. When I found some beautiful little Red Bartlett pears, the memory fused with some new elements to make this recipe. Less sugar, buttermilk and brown sugar to compliment the pears -- it's a beautiful sight! I'm making it for Thanksgiving this year. Maybe with a filo crust? Maybe not for Thanksgiving... —susan g

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 pie crust
  • 6 tablespoons almond meal
  • 3 small ripe but firm pears
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • whole nutmeg
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a 10" pie plate with your best crust.
  2. Cut the pears in quarters, unpeeled. Cut out the stem, seeds, and blossom end. Line them up on the crust artfully, skin side up.
  3. Mix eggs, sugars, buttermilk and melted butter. Pour over the baking pan, around the pears. Sprinkle 2 Tb almond meal on top. Grate the nutmeg over it to taste.
  4. Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the oven heat to 325 degrees. In 10 minutes check the pan. When the pears are cooked through and the custard is puffed and browned, take it out to cool a bit -- wonderful served warm, maybe with some cream.
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5 Reviews

Sagegreen
Sagegreen November 14, 2011
This tastes as good as it looks! Thanks for sharing your recipe, susan. I stayed at the Blueberry Hill Inn in Brandon VT back in the 80s. Now I will have to look for a vintage copy of her cookbook.
 
susan G.
susan G. November 13, 2011
Thank you Sherry for the photo, taken at our FOOD52 Book Party. It was made in a 10" tart pan with a polenta crust, like a shortbread with cornmeal, wheat flour, sugar, butter, egg, lemon zest. And I've decided I prefer it on the 2nd day, cooled.
 
sheredel
sheredel October 3, 2011
great idea, maybe with a little vanilla bean or gelato on top when it comes out warm from oven??
 
sheredel
sheredel October 1, 2011
love the filo, pears, spices and almond meal on top. this is elegant and rustic in the same perfect desert.
 
susan G.
susan G. October 3, 2011
...and it may be as good or better without the filo!