Pear and Frangipane Pie

Ingredients

• One half recipe Easy Pie Dough, shaped and chilled in a pie plate
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 ounces almond paste
• 2/3 cup blanched almonds, ground
• 1 egg
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons flour
• Pinch of salt
• 5 poached pears, cooled, cored and sliced the long way into 1/8 inch pieces

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the sugar until the mixture looks pale and airy. Add the almond paste in 4 portions, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stop and scrape the bowl, then add the egg and yolks and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl again, add the ground almonds, flour, and salt, and mix just until everything comes together. Set the frangipane aside.
2. Press foil against the bottom of the shaped, chilled pie shell. Fill it with pie weights or dried beans, then blind bake for 15 minutes, turning the pie midway through baking. Take the shell out of the oven, then lift out the foil and weights.
3. Spoon about 1/3 of the frangipane over the base of the partly baked crust. Arrange a thin layer of pears over it, using approximately 1 pear's worth, then cover that layer with the rest of the frangipane. Fan the remaining pear slices in circles over the top.
4. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake the pie on the lower rack for approximately 45 minutes, turning it once at the midway point, until the frangipane rises and the top is golden brown. Let the pie cool completely, about 1 hour. Serve immediately.