This is such a great dessert, your family and friends will never suspect that it’s healthier than most, especially when you choose organic fruit.
The conventional versions of the apples, pears and cranberries featured in this delicious pie score high on lists of produce most likely to carry multiple pesticide residues, so they're especially important to choose organic. And the streusel topping on this tasty treat is packed with heart-healthy, old-fashioned rolled oats and nuts.
For the Pie:
Crust for a single-crust pie
1 ripe organic pear, peeled and sliced (1/4-inch thick)
3 crisp organic apples, peeled and sliced (1/4-inch thick)
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh or frozen (thawed) cranberries
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon or orange zest, or combination
2 tablespoons unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
1/3 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (packed) brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1⁄4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Directions:
1. Roll out the pastry dough into an 11-inch circle and place it in a 9-inch pie plate, patting to fit. Trim or flute the crust around the edge of the pie plate. Transfer the crust to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven, and preheat oven to 375˚F. Place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack.
3. To make the filling: Place the apples, pears, cranberries, lemon zest, and orange zest in a large bowl, and stir to combine.
4. Place the flour, cornstarch, sugar, and nutmeg in a small bowl, and stir to combine. Sprinkle this mixture on the fruit, and toss to combine.
5. To make the topping: Place the oats, flour, brown sugar, walnuts, ginger, and nutmeg in a medium-size bowl. Using your fingers, blend the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal.
6. Place the fruit filling in the pie crust and cover the filling with the streusel topping. Do not pack down the topping.
7. Place the pie on the baking sheet in the oven. Bake until the juices start to seep and bubble along the edges, and the topping is golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Allow the pie to cool on a wire rack before serving, at least 20 minutes.
Myra Goodman is the author of "Food to Live By: The Earthbound Farm Organic Cookbook." In 1984, she and her husband Drew founded Earthbound Farm, one the country’s leading organic farms. She is passionate about growing, cooking and eating delicious, healthy organic food, or food that's produced without the use of conventional agricultural chemicals.
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