CRUST:

2 3/4 c. flour
1 c. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 to 1/3 c. water

Prepare the crust as you would pie crust. Cut cold butter into flour, salt and sugar until small crumbs, form. Add cold water until dough holds together. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling out crust and line a 10-inch pie plate or flat tin. Bake blind in a pre-heated 400°F oven for 15 minutes.

FILLING:

3 ripe pears
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. sugar
7-8 pieces crystalized ginger
1/4 c. vodka

Put crystalized ginger in vodka. Peel, half and core pears. Remove ginger from vodka and chop fine. Sprinkle ginger over bottom of pie crust. Arrange pear halves on top, rounded side up. Sweeter the cream with the sugar. Flavor with the ginger vodka (may be omitted). Pour cream over pears and bake in 400°F oven for 30 minutes.

May be served warm or cold. Top with red currant or raspberry jelly, if desired.