Apple and pear pie

Ingredients:

Dough

• 2.5 cups premium flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 tsp fine salt
• 165 g cold butter, diced
• 1 large egg
• 3-4 tablespoons of very cold water

Filling

• Half a lemon
• 1.4 kg baking apples, such as Golden Delicious, Cortland, or Mutsu (about 6 apples)
• 700 g baking pears, such as Beurre Bosc or firm Bartlett (about 3 pears)
• 2/3 cup sugar + extra for sprinkling the pie
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• A large pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 55 g butter
• 1/4 cup premium flour
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, beaten

Preparation:

1. DoughIn a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Rub 1/4 cup of butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers until completely absorbed. Then rub in the remaining butter until the mixture resembles cornmeal mixed with pea-sized pieces of butter. (If the dough becomes warm and sticky, refrigerate it until it firms up.)
2. Beat the egg with 3 tablespoons of water; then drizzle the mixture over the dough. Lightly stir the dough with a fork (the dough should form a ball when you squeeze it, and you should feel dry, crumbly pieces). If the dough is very dry, drizzle it with another 1 tablespoon of water.
3. Divide the dough in half, wrap each half in plastic wrap, and form into disks. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days (the dough can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight before using).
4. To make the dough in a food processorPulse the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add 1/4 cup butter and pulse incrementally until the dough resembles fine cornmeal. Add the remaining butter and pulse until combined. Add the egg and 3 tablespoons water and pulse 1-2 times, but do not allow the dough to form a ball. If the dough is dry, add another tablespoon of water. Remove the blade and transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap. Roll the dough up using the plastic wrap, then wrap it tightly and chill. You can make the pie and filling 2 days in advance and freeze.
   
   Place the pie in the freezer for 30 minutes to lightly chill, then double-wrap it with plastic wrap and store for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, unwrap the pie and brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. If baking from frozen, the pie may need to bake a little longer at 350°F (190°C), about 1 hour and 25 minutes. Then sprinkle the cheddar over the pie and broil the crust for 2 minutes.
5. FillingFinely grate the lemon zest and set aside. Peel and core the pears and apples and cut into 1 cm pieces. Squeeze the lemon juice over the fruit, then toss the fruit with sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and nutmeg.
6. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the fruit and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the juices begin to bubble, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until the fruit softens and the juices have evaporated slightly, about 10 minutes.
   
   Whisk in the flour evenly and cook for about another minute to thicken the filling slightly. Add the vanilla and lemon zest and remove the pan from the heat (the filling should resemble a thick compote). Cool completely.
7. PieLightly flour your work surface. Roll the dough disk into a 27-30 cm (11-12 in) circle. Transfer the dough to a 22 cm (9-12 in) glass pie pan, trimming the edges so that they hang over the pan by about 1 cm (0.4 in). Fill the dough with the prepared filling, piling it up slightly in the center. Roll out the remaining dough into a 30 cm (12 in) circle. Brush the edges of the bottom crust with egg wash.
8. Place the dough over the rolling pin and press it onto the fruit, allowing it to hang over the edges of the pan by about 1 cm. Trim the edges if necessary, reserving any scraps for decoration or for patching, if needed. Fold the top edge of the dough under the bottom, then pinch the edges to seal. Decorate with the scraps of dough, if desired, and set aside.
9. Using your fingers, create fluted edges around the pie by pinching the dough between the index finger of one hand and the index finger and thumb of the other. Repeat this every 1 cm around the pie to create a fluted edge. Refrigerate the pie for at least 20 minutes.
10. Meanwhile, position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 220°C.
11. Brush the pie with egg wash and, if desired, decorate the top with the prepared pastry scraps. Brush again with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Make 6-8 small slits in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape during baking.
12. Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 190°C (375°F). Bake until the crust (top and bottom) is golden brown, about 50 minutes. If the edges begin to brown too quickly, cover them with a piece of foil. Cool the pie on a wire rack.
13. Serve the pie warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream. The pie can be stored covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 4 days..