Here's a pie with a surprising combination of filling ingredients: pears, cranberries, and apricots. Serendipitously, it works; the sweet-tartness of the apricots and cranberries sets off the pears' rich flavor very nicely.

Crust
1 cup (4 ounces) Mellow Blend or King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup (1 5/8 ounces) pecan meal
2 tablespoons (7/8 ounce) sugar
2 teaspoons King Arthur Easy-Roll Dough Improver (optional, but very helpful)
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) cold butter
3 tablespoons vegetable (1 1/4 ounces) shortening
3 to 4 tablespoons (1 1/2 to 2 ounces) water

Filling
4 to 5 pears, peeled and sliced (3 to 4 cups)
1 cup (4 1/2 ounces) slivered dried apricots
1/2 cup (2 ounces) dried cranberries
1 teaspoon butter-cinnamon flavor or vanilla extract
1/4 cup (1 5/8 ounces) (1 3/4 ounces) King Arthur Pie Filling Enhancer
1/4 cup sugar (to taste, depending on the sweetness of the fruit)
1/2 cup (4 ounces) milk or cream

Topping
1 package Streusel Topping Mix, prepared according to package directions, OR your favorite streusel topping

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Have on hand a 9-inch (deep-dish or regular) pie pan.

To make the crust: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, pecan meal, sugar, and dough relaxer. Cut in the cold butter and vegetable shortening, then toss in enough water for the dough to become somewhat (but not fully) cohesive. Sprinkle the dough into the pie pan, and press the crumbs up the sides of the pan.

To make the filling: Combine all of the filling ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl, and spoon them into the prepared crust. Sprinkle on the streusel topping.

Bake the pie at 425°F for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 35 to 40 minutes, tenting the pie with aluminum foil after 30 minutes if it appears to be browning too quickly. Remove it from the oven, and cool on a rack before slicing. Yield: one 9-inch pie, 8 to 10 servings.