A wide variety of fruit has be used to make pie, from crisp apples to juicy berries or tender stone fruit. Tropical fruit, not as commonly used, can make amazing additions to pie filling creations. One such combo is papaya and mango.
Once considered exotic, papaya can now be purchased pretty much throughout the year. A very versatile fruit which contains enzymes that help in tenderizing meat as well as using it in salads, puddings, yogurt, chutney etc. For the sweetest flavor, select a papaya with a yellowish-orange skin that yields to the touch. Green papaya can be peeled like a carrot. It is similar to winter squash and can be baked or barbecued in the same fashion.
Mangoes have a rich sweetness with an aromatic floral note that isn’t present in many other fruits. As well as holding their shape during baking, mangoes become extremely tender, which makes them an excellent choice for pie filling.
Regardless of what type of pie your eating, the general consensus is that it should have a base made of some kind of pastry. When people first began cooking food in ovens there was little to protect the filling from searing heat. As a result, juices would fizzle out and everything would burn rather quickly. As a solution, dough was used to protect the filling. The dough or pastry absorbed the juices, making the entire case and filling a dish in itself. Since then, many complex forms and fillings have evolved in the world of pie making.
My objective today, was to create a ‘tropical’ pie. I had picked up a papaya as well as a couple of pears on my last shopping trip. I already had some mango chunks in the freezer. I thought pears would compliment the papaya and mango well. Between the fruit and spice combos, the flavor was just incredible. I think I ‘nailed it’!
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- Double crust for 8-inch or 9-inch pie Purchased or homemade - SEE PASTRY RECIPE in my blog on October 2016 for pumpkin chiffon tarts
- 5 cups (about 750 gm unpeeled) fresh papaya
- 1 250 gm mango, peeled & pared (or frozen)
- 1 200 gm fresh Bosc or D'Anjou pear, firm & ripe
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup EACH white sugar & brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp cardamom
- 1 dash ground anise
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp water for egg wash
- sugar (for sprinkling on top)
Ingredients
Pastry Crust
Filling
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- Prepare pastry if making from 'scratch'. Line a 8-9-inch pie pan. Peel & core papaya, mango & pear. Cut & dice into 1/2-inch pieces. In a large bowl, combine fruit with lemon zest & juice. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch, sugar, spices & salt. Carefully mix 3/4 of dry mixture with fruit reserving remainder for later.
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Pour filling into pastry lined pie dish. Sprinkle with the rest of dry mixture & dot with butter. Roll out pastry for top crust. Make into design of choice or just place over pie; pinch top & bottom together to form a seal & cut 'vents'. Brush with egg wash & sprinkle with sugar.
- Place in oven & bake for about 10-15 minutes to bake bottom crust somewhat then reduce heat to 375 F. & bake another 30 minutes or until golden brown & filling is bubbling.