Pear Cobbler

Oven Temperature: 350° Bake Time: About One Hour
Pan: 11" x 7"


Cheddar Cheese Pastry

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
¹/3 cup shortening
¼ finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese *
2 to 3 tbs. of ice water

Combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal; stir in cheese; sprinkle ice water evenly over surface, stirring with fork until all ingredients are moistened. Shape dough into a ball and set aside (refrigerate if you are not going to bake the cobbler for a while).

Pear Filling

6 med. pears sliced (about 4 cups) **
1 tbs.. lemon juice
1 cup sugar
3 tbs.. flour
½ tsp. each of cinnamon and nutmeg
¼ tsp. salt
¼ cup of butter or margarine

In an 11 x 7 pan; arrange the pear slices and sprinkle with lemon juice. Combine sugar, flour, spices and salt; blend well and sprinkle over pears; dot with butter. Roll pastry to ¼ " thickness on lightly floured surface; cut into strips. Arrange in lattice fashion over filling. (Or you can be lazy, like me, and roll out to fit pan and cut a few decorative holes in pastry. For large families or family gatherings; the recipes may be doubled and baked in a 13x9 pan, just bake ten or fifteen minutes longer. )

*(The cheese may be omitted. My Mama has substituted ground pecans for cheese and used it with blackberries as the fruit filling)

**Other fruits may be substituted for pears, including canned fruits; just drain well. Apples, peaches and blackberries all work well for this cobbler.