Pear and Blueberry Pie

Heat oven to 400ºF.

For the crust: Add flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt in a food processor. Pulse until thoroughly combined. Use 1/2 stick of room temperature butter and add to the flour mixture. Pulse until the completely combined. Add the remaining 1 1/2 sticks of cold butter in separate batches. Pulse until flour mixture is crumbly and can hold shape.

Combine the apple juice concentrate and the cold water in a spray bottle. Spritz the dough with the mixture and fold it in with a spatula. After about 3 tablespoons of the liquid, check the dough for consistency. It should hold together when compressed but remain relatively dry to the touch. Add more water if needed. Form the dough into a ball. Wrap the dough in parchment paper and rest in refrigerator for 20 minutes.

For the filling: Heat a pan over medium heat. Add pears and cook for a couple minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar, 4 tablespoons sugar and cook until the pears have softened. Add the nutmeg, cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons of butter until melted and combined. Fold in the blueberries. Remove from heat. Sprinkle on the flour and combine well. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to a half sheet pan upside down. Add cubed pound cake on top of the dough. Top the cubes with the pear and blueberry filling and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of cubed butter. Fold the sides of the crust onto filling.

Whisk egg and water together. Brush crust with the egg wash and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon sugar.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from the sheet pan immediately and cool on pie rack.

(Recipe slightly modified from Alton Brown, FoodNetwork.com.)