Upside - Down Pear Pie

Photo: flickr user whitneyinchicago

Ingredients

3/4 cup sifted flour

1/4 cup finely ground walnuts

1 tablespoon sugar

4 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons beaten egg

2 tablespoons butter

6 Bosc or Bartlett pears, almost ripe, peeled, halved

cored

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar

12 walnut halves

1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons brandy

Preparation

Mix flour, ground walnuts and sugar. Cut in the butter. Mix well with fingertips and add egg. Roll into a ball and refrigerate while pears are baking.

Butter 1 1/2 quart baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter. Add pear halves. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350 degrees until very brown and caramelized, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Butter an 8 inch pie plate with remaining butter. Dissolve any caramelized sugar in the pear baking dish with the wine and pour into pie plate. Add pears and walnut halves, pack well.

Roll out pastry and put over the pears. Roll edges of pastry backward to obtain a solid border when you unmold. Cut small openings in the crust with scissor tips to let steam escape. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Unmold onto a platter as soon as the pie comes out of the oven. Eat lukewarm, topped with whipped cream, seasoned with 2 tablespoons of sugar and the brandy.