Creamy pear pie (Best of country Pies)

6-8 servings

• 4 cups sliced peeled pears
• One-third cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon lemon extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)

Topping

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

1. In a large bowl, toss the pears with sugar and flour ; combine the sour cream with vanilla, lemon and almond extracts, add to the pear mixture and mix well.
2. Pour into pastry shell.
3. For topping, in a small bowl, mix the flour, butter and brown sugar until crumbly ; sprinkle over the pears.
4. Bake at 400F for 10 minutes ; reduce heat to 350F and bake for 45 minutes longer or until the pears are tender.
5. Cool on a wire rack ; store in the refrigerator.

Preventing soggy crusts

     Wait to pour a pie filling into a pastry shell until just before baking. Combining the two ahead of time and letting the unbaked pie stand contributes to a soggy bottom crust.

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