Apple And Pear Mincemeat Pie

For pastry, combine flour, sugar and salt in large bowl. Using pastry blender cut in butter until coarse crumbs form.

Add egg and egg yolk and stir with fork until moist clumps form. Bring dough together with hands and knead to form dough. Divide into 2 discs. Wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.

For filling, combine apples, pears, raisins, sugar, butter, currants, mixed fruit, lemon rind and juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and apple or pear juice in a large saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes or until thickened slightly. Stir in brandy and let cool completely.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand to soften slightly. Knead dough on floured surface. Roll out one disc of pastry to fit a 9-inch pie plate with a 1/2-inch overhang. Pour mincemeat into pastry shell and smooth top.

Roll out remaining pastry to 1/4-inch thickness. Using pastry cutter wheel, cut 1-inch wide strips. Weave strips on top of filling to make a lattice top. Press ends of strips into rim of crust. Fold over bottom crust to cover lattice ends. Pinch to seal and flute edge.

Place on baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake for 35 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is bubbly. If edge begins to get too dark, cover lightly with strips of foil.

Let cool completely.