Pie #26: Halfway Pie (Pear Pie with Asiago Cheese Crumble)

It's time to celebrate - half the pies for this project have been created and consumed!  I have to admit that around Pies #16, 17, and 18 I was about ready to call it quits.  I think this probably had more to do with all the school items on my plate, but nonetheless I was nearly tired of making (and believe it or not...eating!) pie.  However, I'm back to full steam and look forward to creating and tasting something new each week!

Last week I received an email from Travis with a crumb topping recipe that I simply could not turn down!  For various reasons I tweaked the recipe slightly; my version follows.




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Pear Pie with Asiago Cheese Crumble

Ingredients:

1 pie shell

filling:
pears
1/3 c. sugar in the raw
1 t. cinnamon
1 T. cornstarch
1/8 t. fresh-ground salt

crumble topping:
1/2 c. flour (I wanted to use whole wheat, but I was out)
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. Asiago cheese, grated (next time I would make this a heaping 1/2 c.)
1/4 t. fresh-ground black pepper (next time I would do a bit less)
3 T. cold butter in chunks

Pie Algorithm:
1. Filling: Mix sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch, and salt in small bowl.  Set aside.  Peel, then thinly slice pears into pie crust.  Use enough pears to nearly fill crust.  Pour dry mixture over pears.

2. In medium-sized bowl, cut butter into flour, sugar, and pepper until butter is pea-sized.  Stir in cheese to mix.  Top the pie with this mixture, coating well.

3. Bake for 10 min at 425F, then turn heat down to 350F and bake for 40-50 min more or until filling is bubbling and thick.

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My first response to this pie was WOW!  Often while pies are baking I like to turn on my oven light to watch them.  Many times the smell is as lovely as the view.  This time, the baking experience was extreme - the aroma of the cheese was almost unbearable (in a good way).  Multiple times I found myself wandering into the kitchen, drawn in by the smell of the warm Asiago.  It was the first time that I simply could not wait to try the result!

I am not disappointed!  The texture of the soft pears combined with the crunchy topping is delightful.  In parallel, the sweetness of the filling combined with the savory topping cannot be beat!  The flavor of the cheese is subtle but not absent; the pepper gives the pie a bit of a warm kick.  I definitely recommend eating the pie warm, and with a dollop of whipped cream if you so desire.  This pie is not recommended for all audiences; I understand that some people only like sweet pies.  However, I definitely will keep it in my repertoire!