Name: Piquechagne (Walnut Pear Pie)
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 5 or 6 firm pears such as bosc or anjou (about 2 pounds/900 g total); 2 cups/250 g flour; ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons/125 g sugar; 1 egg; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, for sprinkling; ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons/140 g butter, more for the pan; ½ cup/60 g walnut pieces; ⅓ cup/75 ml. heavy cream, lightly whipped; 9-inch/23-cm. tart pan with removable base, 2½-inch/6-cm. round pastry cutter

Preparation info

Serves
8

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Country Cooking of France

By Anne Willan

Published 2007

About

Pâté de Pommes de Terre is one example of a double-crust pie from central France, and this delectable walnut pie, also known as le poirat, is another. During baking, the dough softens to outline humpbacked quarters of pear, an appealing, natural decoration. Almonds or toasted hazelnuts can be substituted for the walnuts, and any leftover dough can be baked into delicious cookies.