Cranberry Pie with Oat Topping

• Make the Filling: In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine 12 ounces cranberries, 1/4 cup brown sugar, orange zest and orange juice. Cook for about 8-10 minutes or until the cranberries begin to burst. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely while you make the topping.
• Make the Topping: Combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and using a fork, your fingers or a pastry blender mix it in until the mixture is crumbly (it should look like fine crumbs).
• Continue Making the Filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, tapioca starch, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Add the remaining 8 ounces of cranberries, the pear and the cooked cranberry mixture. Stir to combine.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Roll out the chilled dough on a floured work surface. Roll the dough from the center to the edge, turning the dough until you have a circle of about 12 inches in diameter.
• Carefully ease the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate, making sure not to stretch the dough at all, or it will shrink as the pie bakes. With a sharp knife, cut the excess dough off at the edge of the pie plate. Fold the edge under and crimp the edge with either your fingers or the tines of a fork.
• Place the unbaked pie crust on a baking sheet. Line the pie crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans.
• Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until the edges start to brown. Remove the pie from the oven and carefully remove the weights or beans by lifting the parchment paper. With a fork, prick holes all around the bottom crust and return to the oven. Bake for another 5 minutes then, remove from the oven.
• Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• Spread the cream cheese all over the bottom and sides of the pre-baked pie crust.
• Pour the filling into the baked pie shell spreading evenly. Cover the fruit filling with the oat topping leaving a small hole in the middle of the pie to serve as a steam vent.
• Place the pie on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake for about 60 to 70 minutes or until the juices start to bubble up in the center and the topping is golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Cool for 4 to 6 hours before serving.
• Serve with vanilla ice cream (optional)

How to Make the Pie Crust

• Cut the COLD butter into 1⁄2-inch dice and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture.
• Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and give it a few pulses to mix.
• Add the cold diced butter and the shortening and pulse about 8 to 10 times. The butter should be the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse until the dough begins to form a ball.
• Dump the dough on a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• After the dough is chilled, cut the dough in half. You will have enough dough for one double crusted pie or 2 single crusted pies.