Gingered Pear Sour Cream Pie

Gingered Pear Sour Cream Pie
Gourmet October 1986

For the shell:
pâte brisée (or your favorite pie crust recipe)
raw rice for weighting the shell

For the streusel:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup walnuts, chopped fine

For the filling:
3/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 pounds pears

Make the shell: Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface, fit it into a 9-inch (1-quart) pie pan, 1 1/2 inches deep, and crimp the edge decoratively. Prick the shell lightly with a fork and chill it for 30 minutes or freeze it for 15 minutes. Line the shell with foil, fill the foil with the rice, and bake the shell in the lower third of a preheated 425ºF. oven for 18 minutes. Remove the rice and foil carefully, bake the shell for 5 minutes more, or until it is golden, and let the shell cool in the pan on a rack.
Make the streusel: In a bowl blend the flour, butter, brown sugar, ginger and a pinch of salt until the mixture resembles very coarse meal, add the walnuts, and toss the mixture well.
Make the filling: In a large bowl whisk together the sour cream, eggs, brown sugar, flour, ginger and lemon juice until the mixture is smooth, stir in the pears, peeled, cored, and sliced thin, coating them with the mixture, and transfer the filling to the shell.
Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the filling and bake the pie in the middle of a preheated 425ºF. oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350ºF. and bake the pie for 30 minutes more, or until it is puffed and golden. Let the pie cool in the pan on a rack. Serve the pie warm or at room temperature.