Pear Crunch Pie: Enough about apples; how ’bout them pears?

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Who ever says, a pear a day keeps the doctor away? Pear cider? As American as pear pie? It never happens. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride, that’s pears.

I like to use underappreciated pears as often as I can as a switch from apples, and a fall favorite of mine is streusel-topped Pear Crunch Pie.

When I don’t have time to make a crust, I will spoon the filling into small baking dishes and bake until everything is bubbly and brown.

When I want to change-up the crust, I make a whole wheat crust: follow your basic pastry recipe, substituting 1 cup whole wheat flour for 1 cup of all-purpose flour for a double crust and 1⁄2 cup whole wheat flour for a single crust. The baked crust will be toasty brown and cookie-crumbly.

And when I want a lily-gilded, over-the-top presentation, I serve warm pie with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of homemade butterscotch sauce. Even for breakfast.

Pairing pears

Pears are good in salads, where they partner well with greens, especially the bitter ones, and be sure toss in a few nuts and goat cheese for creaminess. Try slices of pear with leaves of prosciutto for an appetizer, and pair them with blue-vein cheeses and nuts on a cheese platter. Surprise guests with sauteed pears as a garnish for grilled or fatty meats such as pork and duck.

Seasonal dessert menus welcome pears, too. Poach them in red wine, then serve with their reduced ruby syrup and top with soft drifts of whipped cream. Poach pears in white wine, and serve with a rich chocolate sauce whose fancy name is pears Belle Helene. Serve white-wine poached pears with a pureed raspberry sauce for Pears Melba.

Let pears star in tarts, crisps, slumps and upside-down cakes. Remember, you can use a pear anywhere you can use an apple.