1 recipe butter pastry
4 lbs ripe pears
1/3 c sugar
1/2 c dried figs, chopped
2 T lemon juice
1 T flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 T cold butter, diced
1 large egg, beaten with 1 T water (egg wash)
Roll out the chilled butter pastry, transfer to parchment paper, cut into 2×3″ pieces and freeze until firm (about 30 minutes). Peel, core, and slice pears into 1/2-inch wedges. Combine pears, figs, sugar, lemon juice, flour and spices in a large bowl and mix. Transfer filling to a greased 8×11 inch baking dish. Dot with cold butter. Arrange pastry pieces in a patchwork design, slightly overlapping and leaving open spaces for steam vents. Brush egg wash over pastry. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake in a 375 oven for 55 minutes (until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbling in the center). Serve warm with cream or ice cream.
