Tom McCorkle/For The Washington Post; food styling by Gina Nistico
Phyllo dough has a hold on me - its grip stems from the revelation I had as a young child biting into my first spanakopita at a Greek church festival in Queens. My beloved Aunt Linda had handed me a piece of the savory pie saying, "Would I steer you wrong?” (She never once steered me wrong.) When I got a little older, she taught me how to cook with the dough.
Pear Skillet Pie With Phyllo Topping
Phyllo also happens to fit my healthy and delicious credo. The shatteringly crisp dough is better for you than other pie crusts because it is so delicately light, and it lends itself to being generously brushed with healthy olive oil. (It’s also a great staple to keep in the freezer when you need to make a simple dessert or snack.)
Although phyllo is easier to cook with than it seems, I understand why many are intimidated by it. The sheets of dough are fragile, so you have to handle them carefully to keep them intact. And it dries out quickly when exposed to air, so the stack of phyllo waiting to be brushed with oil must be kept under a damp towel as you work with each sheet.
Happily, this recipe crushes those hurdles, making a fabulous phyllo topping accessible to even the wariest cooks. Here you simply pile the sheets of phyllo into a bowl all at once, drizzle them with olive oil and scrunch them with your hands until they are broken up and evenly covered in oil.
Then distribute the crumbled phyllo on top of a warm, saucy sauté of sliced pears that’s sweetened with a touch of honey and fragrant with cinnamon and nutmeg. Once baked, right in the skillet, the pears soften into a bubbling pie filling, and the phyllo transforms into a golden brown, supremely crispy crown. Sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar and more cinnamon, it’s a scrumptious, healthful dessert that’s a dual celebration of prime fall fruit and a truly remarkable dough.
Servings: 6
Active Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour
This skillet dessert features juicy, sautéed pears - lightly sweetened with honey, and fragrant with cinnamon and nutmeg - baked under a shatteringly crisp phyllo dough crust. The topping is especially easy to make and better for you, too - simply scrunch store-bought sheets of dough with olive oil to coat them, then scatter over the fruit.
Storage: Refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until warmed through.
Ingredients:
5 medium firm ripe Bartlett pears (about 2 1/4 pounds/1475 grams total), peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for serving
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch fine salt
5 ounces (140 grams) phyllo dough (5 or 6 large sheets)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
Directions:
Step 1: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.
Step 2: In a large bowl, combine the pears, honey, lemon juice, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, and toss to coat.
Step 3: Separate the sheets of phyllo and place them in another large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil, then use your hands to scrunch the phyllo so it crumbles, clumps up a bit and becomes evenly coated with the oil.
Step 4: Set a medium (10-inch), ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer the pear mixture to the skillet and cook, gently tossing occasionally, until the fruit softens slightly and the juices begin to simmer, 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 5: Distribute the phyllo evenly on top of the pears and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is crisp and golden brown, and the juices in the filling are thick and bubbling vigorously. Let cool until warm, at least 10 minutes, or completely, if you prefer to serve at room temperature. Sprinkle with the confectioners’ sugar and more cinnamon, and use a large spoon to scoop each serving onto a plate or shallow bowl.
Substitutions:
Pears >> apples.
Honey >> maple syrup or agave.
Olive oil >> neutral oil, such as avocado or canola.
Nutritional facts per serving (1 cup): Calories: 267, Fat: 9 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Carbohydrates: 46 g, Sodium: 163 mg, Protein: 2 g, Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 23 g.
This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.
From cookbook author and registered dietitian nutritionist Ellie Krieger.
