Recipe: Sweet Rosemary-Pear Pizza (with pastry crust, Italian)

SWEET ROSEMARY-PEAR PIZZA

FOR THE PASTRY:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (preferably organic) generous
1/4 teaspoon salt
11/2 teaspoons sugar
1 stick (4 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 large egg, beaten
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

FOR TOPPING:
4 (1 1/2 to 2 pounds) firm-ripe Bosc pears (preferably organic)
juice of 1/2 lemon
shredded zest of 1 large orange
1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

TO PREPARE THE PASTRY:
Combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or large bowl. Cut in the butter with rapid pulses in the processor, or rub between your fingertips until the butter is the size of peas. Add the egg and 2 tablespoons of water. Pulse just until the dough gathers in clumps, or toss with a fork until evenly moistened. If the dough seems dry, blend in another 1/2 to 1 tablespoon water.

Oil a 14- to 16-inch pizza pan. Roll out the dough on a floured board to an extremely thin 17-inch round. Place on the pan. Don't trim the excess pastry -- fold it over toward the center of the pie. Refrigerate 30 minutes to overnight.

TO MAKE THE PIZZA:
Set an oven rack in the lowest position and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator.

Peel, core, halve and stem the pears. Slice vertically into 1/2 -inch-wide wedges, about 14 slices per pear. Moisten with a little lemon juice.

Fold back the dough's rim so it hangs over the edge of the pan. Arrange the pear slices in an overlapping spiral on the dough, starting at the rim of the pan. Sprinkle with the orange zest, basil, rosemary, cinnamon, pepper, sugar and oil. Flip the overhanging crust over the pears.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pears are speckled golden brown and the crust is crisp. Cover the crust's rim with foil if it browns too quickly. Remove the pizza from the oven and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Makes 1 (17-inch) pizza, 8-10 servings
Source: The Italian Country Table: Home Cooking from Italy's Farmhouse Kitchens by Lynne Rossetto Kasper