Buy the pears a few days in advance and let them ripen.

Pate sucrée

For 2 galettes – 10 1/2 inch pie pans

3 cups of all purpose flour
2 1/2 sticks of sweet butter, softened
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1/4 tsp of salt
1 egg & 1 egg yolk beaten

• Combine the ingredients in a bowl and work until you can form a ball that holds together.
• Place on the table and smear the mixture with the palm of your hand a few times.
• Divide into 2 pieces. Reserve one piece and refrigerate.
• Roll the other into a 12 inch round about 1/4 inch thick.
• It helps to roll the dough on a plastic sheet to support the dough when it is lifted around the rolling pin, then unrolled into the pie shell. This step can be tricky when the dough is too soft since it breaks easily.
• Either refrigerate it for a while or simply press the dough in the pie pan by hand.
• Make a border about 1/2 inch high (thicker at the base for preventing border from collapsing during cooking).
• Cut off any dough above that and reserve with the other half of the dough in the refrigerator for another pie.
• Refrigerate until firm while preheating the oven at 400°F.
• Cook for 12 to 15 minutes; for a different dessert cook the shell entirely for about 25 minutes.
• Fill with crème patissière and top with fresh berries.

Filling

4 or 5 pears thinly sliced (half then quartered, each 1/4 cut into 3 segments)
2 eggs
1 cup of cream
1/2 cup of sliced almonds
3 Tbsp of sugar

• Preheat oven to 375 °F
• Arrange the segments in a circular pattern like a flower.
• In the center overlap segments in a straight line. It’s easier.
• Mix the eggs, the cream and the sugar.
• Pour over the pears.
• Sprinkle the almonds on top.
• Cook in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes

This pie is best eaten at room temperature or slightly warm.