Pear and Blueberry Pie

So of course, once I'd made a new pie crust, I had to come up with a pie to try it out.  I had a pint of blueberry pie filling in the freezer and chose to mix it with pears to make enough for a pie.

All the work in most pies is the crust.  Even a custard pie comes together pretty quickly.  In this case, using half pie filling meant there was less fruit to cut and fewer ingredients overall.  You get the homemade label with half the work.  I'm conveniently ignoring the work to make the can of filling.

crust for double-crust pie
*1 can (15 oz) blueberry pie filling
1 lb (3 or 4) pears, ripe but still a little firm
3 Tb sugar
1 Tb cornstarch
1 Tb lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
egg white or milk for brushing crust
sanding sugar for decorating

1.  Roll out bottom crust and place in fridge.

2.  Peel pears if desired.  Cut in half and remove cores and stems.  Chop into bite-sized pieces.

3.  In a bowl, combine blueberry filling, pears, sugar, and cornstarch.  Stir in lemon juice.  I didn't add any spices, but half a teaspoon of ginger or cinnamon would be a nice addition.  I was just in the mood to let the fruits speak for themselves.  Get the crust out of the fridge and fill with the mixture.

4.  Roll out top crust and cut vent holes or slits.  You'll see how much bubbled out.  Place on top and create a sealed border.  Trim off excess.  Chill filled pie for at least half an hour.

5.  Preheat oven to 375º.  For a glossy look, brush crust with egg white.  I opted for a matte finish and used milk.  Avoid brushing the edges, or they'll darken too quickly.  Sprinkle top with sugar for a sparkly look and added flavor.  Place on a baking sheet, to catch anything that boils over.  Bake until crust is golden, about 1 hour.  If it still isn't darkening at that point, raise oven to 400º and check after 10 minutes.

6.  Cool pie on a rack for at least 30 minutes, and preferably to room temperature.  The filling takes a while to set up.  Meanwhile, all that goo on your baking sheet will come right off if you start soaking it as soon as the pie pan comes off.  To store the pie past the first day, refrigerate.  Just pull it out half an hour before serving so it isn't so cold.  It can survive 15 seconds in the microwave without changing texture.

Makes 1 pie, about 8 servings

Difficulty rating. :)