Cheddar Pear Pie

I've realized that I'm really not a very good food photographer... If I remember to take pictures at all, they always turn out blurry or washed out.  I guess that allows you to use your imagination to think about how amazing all of these recipes taste, rather than relying on my pictures!

We all know that fruit tastes better when it's in season, fresh and local.  This pie is no exception to that rule.  Mac's mom bakes this pie every year, but she has the advantage of free access to a pear orchard.  Her fruit literally goes from the tree to the pan!

Being the logical person that I am, I decided to bake this for Easter dessert. Considering that it's Spring and I used store-bought, under-ripe pears, I had low expectations for this pie.  Surprisingly, it was delicious! The pears were the perfect texture, not too hard, not too mushy, and the perfect hint of sweetness.  The cheddar cheese in the topping is the perfect compliment to the mild pear flavor.  It was definitely a hit!

Ingredients

Pie:
4 large ripe pears, peeled and thinly sliced
1/3 c. sugar
1 heaping Tbsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1 - 9" unbaked pastry shell (if you need a pie crust recipe, click here for Grama's famous one!)

Topping:

1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions

In a bowl, combine pears, sugar, cornstarch, and salt.  Pour over pastry shell.  For the topping, mix together the butter, flour, salt, and sugar and stir well.  Add the shredded cheese and mix until incorporated.  Sprinkle over the pears.  Bake at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes (you may want to cover the crust with foil to prevent burning).  Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.