Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Madeira wine
- 5 ounces soft
- dried Black Mission figs (scant 2/3 cup)
- stemmed and quartered
- 3 whole star anise
- All-purpose flour
- for dusting
- Pate Brisee (page 322)
- 3 pounds ripe
- firm Anjou pears
- 3/4 cup walnuts
- broken into small pieces
- toasted and cooled (see page 343)
- Fresh juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg yolk
- for egg wash
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- for egg wash
- Fine sanding sugar
- for sprinkling
Instructions
- Bring wine, figs, and star anise to a boil in a small saucepan.
- Reduce heat, and simmer until figs are softened, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer figs to a large bowl.
- Cook liquid over medium-high heat until reduced to a syrup, about 3 minutes; discard star anise.
- Pour syrup over figs.
- Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to a 13-inch round.
- Fit into a 9-inch glass pie plate.
- Trim dough, leaving a 1-inch overhang; refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
- Roll out second disk to a 13-inch round.
- Cut out steam vent in center with a cookie cutter; refrigerate or freeze dough round and cutout until firm, about 30 minutes.
- Peel and core pears; slice into 1/4-inch-thick wedges.
- Add pears, walnuts, lemon juice, granulated sugar, salt, and cornstarch to figs and syrup; stir until well combined.
- Spoon into pie plate, piling high in center.
- Dot with butter; lightly brush edge of dough with water.
- Drape second disk of dough over pin; center over filling.
- Gently press around filling to fit; trim dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang.
- Fold edge of top crust under bottom one; crimp to seal.
- Brush water on bottom of cutout; press onto top crust.
- Beat egg yolk with cream; brush all over dough.
- Sprinkle pie generously with sanding sugar; freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400F, with rack in lower third.
- Transfer pie plate to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, and bake until just golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 375F.
- Bake until juices are bubbling and crust is deep golden brown, about 1 hour.
- If edges brown too quickly, cover with a foil ring (see page 324).
- Let pie cool completely on a wire rack.
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