Scribbles & Munch

      I'm dividing this recipe into two parts, the filling and the optional pie crust. The pie is lovely with regular crust, but if you want to add that extra something-something, there's an alternate crust that adds an extra punch of gingery spice! It's rare for people to add spices to pie crust, because they can burn and turn nasty. However, we're only adding ginger, and if you play your cards right it'll pay off nicely. 

      Alas, I don't have photos at this time--if I make this pie later in the winter I'll add them, but for now you'll just have to use your imagination and trust me!

Z.D.'s Pear & Cranberry Pie with Thyme & Red Wine

makes one 9" pie

Ingredients:

3/4 Cup sugar

3/4 Cup dried cranberries (sweetened is OK, but do NOT used flavored)

2 large sprigs of fresh thyme

1 & 3/4 Cup fruity red wine (I like a cabernet), divided

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 Tablespoon (generous) AP flour, plus more for dusting

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3 lbs. firm but ripe pears (I like Bartlett, but Anjou works well also)

2 Tablespoons (scant) tapioca flour

Two rounds of pie dough

1 large egg, beaten with a spoonful of cold water (optional)

3 Tablespoons raw/turbinado sugar for decoration (optional)

Directions:

 - In a medium size non-reactive pan over medium-high heat, combine the sugar, dried cranberries, thyme sprigs, 1 & 1/2 Cups of the wine, and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to a little under half. 

 - Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl. Pluck out and discard the thyme twigs, but reserve the cranberries and set aside. 

 - Place your empty saucepan back over medium heat, and melt the butter. Add in the flour and nutmeg and whisk constantly just until smooth. Pour in remaining 1/4 Cup wine and cook, whisking frequently, until mixture is smooth and slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the red wine syrup until thoroughly combined, then stir in vanilla and salt. Pour into a bowl and chill until cool, about 30 minutes.

 - Meanwhile, pre-heat your oven to 375º F, and place a rack on the lowest level. Peel, core, and slice your pears into 1/4" slices (slightly more or less is fine, as long as all slices are approximately the same size for even baking). Place the sliced pears in a large bowl and toss with the tapioca flour and the reserved cranberries.

 - Roll out your pie dough to fit a 9" pan. Arrange your pear mixture into the dough, then pour your red wine liquid over (if your red wine mixture is too thick to pour, that's OK; stir it into the pears and then spoon the mixture into the dough-lined pie plate). Top with remaining dough, cut steam vents and crimp the edges.* If desired, brush the top dough with the beaten egg and sprinkle with raw sugar. 

 - Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake on lowest oven shelf until top is golden and juices are bubbling, about 45-50 minutes. (Check at the 30 minute mark--if your crust is browning too quickly, tent with foil, reduce heat to 350º F, and add an extra 10 minutes to your bake time.) Remove pie to a cooling rack and cool to room temperature before slicing.

Z.D.'s Ginger Spice Crust

Ingredients:

1 & 3/4 Cup flour

1/4 Cup crystalized ginger, chopped

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

generous pinch of ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

10 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces

3 Tablespoons shortening, frozen, cut into pieces

1/3 Cup ice water

1/4 Cup ginger-infused vodka**

Directions:

 - Place flour, crystalized ginger, brown sugar, ground ginger and salt into a food processor. Give a several long pulses to combine. Add the butter and shortening and pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand.

 - Mix together the water and vodka. Pour about a third into the food processor, then turn on the blade while slowly pouring in the rest. When the dough begins to come together in large clumps, stop. 

 - Remove the dough from the food processor, halve, and pat each half into a disk. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least two hours, or up to five days (or freeze for up to three months). 

NOTE: if you use this crust, DO NOT place the pie plate on the bottom of the oven--the crystalized ginger will burn. A pie that uses this crust must be put on another baking sheet and raised at least one shelf level above the oven floor.

*If you're feeling fancy, this is a great pie for pretty crust. You can do a lattice, if you're so inclined. Or you can roll out the top and use a tiny cookie cutter to cut out holes for steam vents--round holes look cute and modern, but stars or snowflakes are pretty, too. You can also use a larger cookie cutter to cut up your top crust, then layer the pieces to make a pattern for the top of your crust (where the pieces overlap, brush the dough with your beaten egg to sort of glue them together). If you use a simple cutter like stars, you can layer them in six branches for a kind of snowflake pattern!

**Buy cheap, plain vodka, pour some into a jar, and keep it in the back of your fridge. Whenever you peel some ginger for a recipe, put the peels into this jar. After a few months, strain and stick in the freezer for pie crust!