Pear, Honey And Walnut Pie

1 recipe basic double crust pie dough
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
8 firm Bosc pears, about 3-3 1/2 pounds, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 cup dry Marsala wine or grape juice
1/2 cup honey
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
8 amaretti cookies, finely crumbled
2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
1 large egg, lightly beaten in a small bowl.

Prepare the pie dough, shape into 2 balls, one a bit larger than the other and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pears, sugar, cinnamon, grated lemon zest and Marsala wine.

Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally until the wine is all reduced and the pears are tender but still firm to the bite, 8-10 minutes. Transfer pears to a bowl and cool completely. Add the honey, walnuts, amaretti and flour to the cooled pears and mix well to combine. Refrigerate mixture till ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 375 deg F. Butter a 10 inch pie plate, or tart pan. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the large ball of dough to a 12 inch circle. Place the dough into the prepared tart pan and press gently and evenly into the pan. Let the excess dough hang over the rim of the pan.

Prick the bottom of the pastry shell in several places with a fork so that the pastry will not puff up while it is baking. fill the pastry shell with the pear mixture and smooth the top with a spatula.

Roll out the remaining ball of dough and lay it over the filling. trim the excess dough with scissors if necessary.

Combine the edges of the bottom and top dough and fold them over to form a border. Pinch the border with your fingers to seal. Brush the dough with the beaten egg and prick it with a fork in several place to allow the steam to escape.

Bake until the crust is golden brown, 30-35 minutes.

Remove pie from oven and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes, then remove from the pan and place on a serving platter. Let cook completely before serving.