Fall isn’t just for apples and pumpkins – give pears a chance! Vanilla bean and lemon highlight the delicate pear flavor in this juicy slab pie and baking the fruit in a thin layer allows the slices to soften without turning to mush. It’s a pie worthy of your Thanksgiving table, and the slab form makes it perfect for sharing with a crowd.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 5 hr 25 min |
| Active: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 8 to 10 servings |
Ingredients
- 5 cups all-purpose flour (see Cook’s Note)
- 2/3 cup vegetable shortening
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 3 sticks (24 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup chilled vodka
- 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
- 5 pounds ripe but firm pears, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 vanilla bean, split and seeded or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- For the pie dough: Pulse the flour, shortening, granulated sugar, salt and 8 tablespoons of the butter in a food processor until the mixture is the consistency of a fine meal. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the remaining 16 tablespoons butter and use forks or pastry cutters to cut into pea-size pieces. Sprinkle the vodka and ice water over the mixture and mix until the dough just comes together.
- Divide the dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and gently pat each portion into a rectangle. Wrap each rectangle tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to overnight. The dough can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Roll out each rectangle to the size of a rimmed baking sheet (13 by 18 inches). Spread 1 of the rectangles over the baking sheet and press the dough in and up the sides. There should be just enough, so don’t worry if it looks a little scant.
- For the filling: Add the pears to a large bowl and toss with the lemon zest and juice and vanilla. Whisk the granulated sugar, cornstarch and salt in a small bowl until combined. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the pears and toss to coat. Spread the pears on the dough in a single layer.
- Use a chef’s knife or pizza cutter to cut the second rectangle lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick strips (about 20 strips). Lay half of the dough strips, evenly spaced, diagonally across the entire pie. Weave the remaining dough strips perpendicular through the previous strips to make a lattice or basket weave design across the entire pie. Trim the excess ends from the dough strips. Pinch the bottom crust edge and lattice edge together and flute the edge as desired. Brush the surface of the dough with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.
- Bake until the crust is golden brown all over and the filling is bubbling throughout, about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Tent with aluminum foil if the top starts to brown before the filling bubbles. Let the pie cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Cut into squares and serve at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 887 |
| Total Fat | 43 g |
| Saturated Fat | 21 g |
| Carbohydrates | 116 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 9 g |
| Sugar | 55 g |
| Protein | 8 g |
| Cholesterol | 92 mg |
| Sodium | 863 mg |