Ingredients

  • Pie Crust
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 8 ounces very cold/frozen unsalted butter (I used plugra brand)
  • 1 egg yolk - whisk yolk with tablespoon of milk
  • ice cold water
  • For the filling:
  • 6 cups cored and peeled pears
  • 2 cups fresh raspberries
  • 1/2 cup good port wine
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons tapioca starch
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 pinch ground cloves
  • 1 pinch ground allspice

Method

  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and whisk together.
  • Cube the cold butter into smallish pieces (about 1/2 inch or so) and sprinkle the pieces into the flour mix. Begin working the butter quickly with a pastry blender in making sure to work evenly. When the butter pieces are the about the size of of a pea, stop.
  • Start to add the cold water a little at a time, over the butter and flour mixture and start to gather the dough together. Get your hands in there and gather the dough into one big ball and knead them together gently.
  • Divide the dough into 2 half balls and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour (or 2) before rolling out.
  • In a large bowl, pour the port over the sliced pear and let macerate for 30-45 minutes. They should have a nice pink stain to them.
  • After the 30 or so minutes are up, remove the pears from the port and set them aside. Add the spices, melted butter and tapioca starch to the port and mix thoroughly, then add the raspberries and stir (make sure they are well covered) and let sit for and additional 30-45 minutes or so, (you can do this while waiting for your crust to chill)
  • Preheat the oven to 400 and roll out the dough for the bottom crust.
  • Once you have the dough ready to go and in place, combine the raspberry and port mixture with the pears and fill the pie. Roll out the top portion and carefully center it over the filling. Trim the edges of the dough and crimp them together.
  • Cut some steam vents in the pie and wash the top crust with the egg yolk and milk and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the crust is a nice golden brown and the mixture is bubbling.
  • Let pie cool and serve.