Ingredients

Makes one 9-inch pie

　　3/4 cup Madeira wine

　　5 ounces soft, dried black Mission figs (scant 2/3 cup), stemmed and quartered

　　3 whole star anise

　　Martha’s Perfect Pâte Brisée (page 647), almost room temperature

　　All-purpose flour, for dusting

　　3 pounds ripe Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges

　　3 ounces walnuts, broken into small pieces (about 3/4 cup), toasted and cooled

　　Juice of 1 lemon

　　1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling (or use sanding sugar)

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　3 tablespoons cornstarch

　　2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

　　1 large egg yolk

　　1 tablespoon heavy cream

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F, with a rack in the lower third. Bring the wine, figs, and star anise to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until the figs are softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the figs to a large bowl. Cook the mixture in the pan over medium-high heat until reduced to a syrup, about 3 minutes; discard the star anise. Pour the syrup over the figs.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, roll out 1 dough disk on floured parchment to make a 13-inch circle; start with pressure in the center and ease up just before reaching the edges. Drape the dough over the rolling pin; center over a 9-inch glass pie plate, and unroll. Gently push into the plate. Trim to leave a 1/4-inch overhang; refrigerate. Roll out the second disk. Cut out a vent with a cookie cutter, and refrigerate the cutout.

　　

Step 3

Add the pears, nuts, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and cornstarch to the figs; stir until well combined. Spoon into the pie plate (pile high in the center). Dot with the butter; lightly brush the rim of the dough with water. Drape the second disk over the pin; center over the filling. Gently press around the filling to fit; trim to leave a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold the edge of the top crust under the bottom one; crimp to seal. Brush water on the bottom of the cutout; press onto the top crust. Beat the yolk with the cream; brush over the crust. Sprinkle with sugar; freeze until very firm, about 30 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Bake on a baking sheet until just golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F. Bake, rotating halfway through, until bubbling, and the bottom crust is deep golden brown, about 1 hour. (If the edges brown too quickly, cover with a foil ring.) Let cool on a wire rack.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.