Recipes
Pear-Zone
Chef Barbara Soderholm
Arlington Heights School
Arlington Heights, Ill.
Canned pears and prepared pizza dough make quick work of this calzone-shaped baked treat. Ginger, cinnamon and dried fruit go into the filling along with the pears, adding up to a kid-friendly snack or dessert for school foodservice.
Ingredients
1 can (15 oz.) pears in extra light syrup, drained and diced
¼ cup raisins, dried cranberries or dried cherries
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
¾ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
1½ lb. pizza dough
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
Steps
- Preheat oven to 325 F. In medium bowl, combine pears, raisins, sugar, ginger and cinnamon, tossing to fully incorporate the ingredients. Set aside.
- Portion pizza dough into 6 equal pieces, about 4 ounces each. Place dough balls on clean, dry work surface lightly dusted with flour. Working with one piece at a time, roll dough into 6-inch round. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Measure ½ cup pear filling in middle of each dough round; lightly moisten the edge with water, going all the way around. Fold dough over filling and press edges together; crimp edges with fork to seal.
- Place pastries on sheet pan lined with parchment paper; make several slits on top of each with paring knife.
- Bake pastries in preheated oven 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, for icing, sift confectioners’ sugar into small bowl. Add 2 to 3 teaspoons water and whisk until smooth. Drizzle icing over pastries.
Photo courtesy of Pacific Northwest Canned Pears