Sweets & Treats

Pear Crumble Pie 

8 servings

For a limited time in the Fall, you can find delicious locally grown Bartlett pears from Boorinakis Harper Ranch at BriarPatch Food Co-op at our two stores in Grass Valley and Auburn.  

“It’s a nice juicy fruit. They just have that flavor. Customers swoon,” said Julia Boorinakis Harper Barbeau, who grew up on a 12-acre organic farmstead in the middle of Auburn known as Boorinakis Harper Ranch with her mom, Phyllis Boorinakis and dad, Tom Harper.

The biggest, smallest, oldest and only farm in the City of Auburn, the Boorinakis family has been growing “the best pears in the land” since 1918. 

We’re thrilled to share this recipe for Pear Crumble Pie with you from the farm!

Ingredients for filling

  • • 7 to 8 Bartlett pears, firm-ripe (just turning yellow) 
  • • 1/2 cup sugar 
  • • 2 to 3 Tb flour 
  • • 1/4 tsp ground ginger 
  • • 1/4 tsp nutmeg, preferably freshly grated 
  • • 2 tsp lemon juice 
  • • Small pinch of salt 
  • • Optional — a bit of finely chopped candied ginger 

Ingredients for crumble topping

  • • 6 Tb butter (salted, or add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter) 
  • • 2/3 cup brown sugar 
  • • 2/3 cup flour 
  • • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans 
  • • 1/4 tsp cinnamon 
  • • One deep-dish pie crust (your favorite recipe, or a good storebought crust works in a pinch)

Directions

  1. Peel, core, and slice the pears. In another bowl, toss together the 1/2 c sugar, 2 Tb flour, the ginger, nutmeg, and salt. In a large bowl, toss dry mixture gently with the sliced pears. If the pears seem really juicy, you can add an extra spoonful of flour. 
  2. Make the crumble topping: combine brown sugar, flour, nuts, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, flork, or your fingers, to make a chunky, crumbly mixture. 
  3. Pile the pears into the crust — it should be full! Gently press the crumble topping over the pears. 
  4. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until the crust and topping are browned and the pears are tender. If the crust and topping are getting brown before the pears are cooked through, cover loosely with foil, and remove the foil for the last 10 minutes or so of baking.  
  5. Baking times can vary for this pie due to the variable firmness/juiciness of ripe pears, so check it after 25 minutes — you may need to lower the oven temp a bit and bake it longer until they are set. Any which way, it’s delicious! Serve with vanilla ice cream if you really want a slice of heaven!