Inspired by the 1945 film noir Mildred Pierce, which follows a restaurateur who lives a troubled life, Gourmet food editor Ruth Cousineau created this pear pie recipe for the magazine’s 2004 food & film issue. Whether you’ve seen the movie or not, the recipe is a great alternative to apple pie, offering plenty of flaky crust and a luscious pear pie filling.
Start with the pie crust, which you can make a day in advance, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. As with all fruit pies, you’ll want be choosy with your fruit. The best pears for the job are firm-ripe Anjou or Bartlett pears, which will soften as they bake but not fall apart. Tossing the sliced pears in a large bowl with a bit of flour keeps the filling from being too runny and nutmeg adds a bit of warmth.
While there’s a time and place for a streusel or crumb topping, nothing impresses like a lattice on top of the pie. If it’s your first time making one, check out this guide. Keep in mind: larger strips are easier to work with and will require less weaving, and be sure to move quickly, so the pie dough stays cold. Finally, don’t worry too much about the edges of the strips, since you’ll fold the extra dough from the pie shell over them.
Use the baking time to track down a copy of Mildred Pierce, so you can watch it while you enjoy a slice that’s topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Recipe information
Total Time
5½ hours (includes making pastry and cooling pie)
Yield
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
Step 2
Whisk together flour, nutmeg, salt, and ⅔ cup sugar. Gently toss with pears and lemon juice.
Step 3
Roll out 1 piece of dough (keep remaining piece chilled) on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round, then fit into a 9½-inch glass or metal pie plate. Trim edge, leaving a ½-inch overhang. Chill shell while rolling out dough for top crust. Roll out remaining piece of dough on lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin into a roughly 16-by-11-inch rectangle. Cut crosswise into 12 (1-inch-wide) strips with a pastry wheel or a sharp knife. Spoon filling into shell. Weave a lattice pattern over pie with pastry strips. Trim edges of all strips close to edge of pie plate. Fold bottom crust up over edges of lattice and crimp edge. Brush lattice (but not edge) with milk and sprinkle lattice with remaining tablespoon sugar.
Step 4
Bake pie on a baking sheet 20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F and cover edge of pie with a pie shield or foil. Continue to bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, 50 to 60 minutes more. Cool pie on a rack to warm or room temperature, at least 2 hours.
Editor’s note: This recipe was originally printed in the September 2004 issue of ‘Gourmet’ and first appeared online the same month. Head this way for more of our best pie recipes →
Recipe notes
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