Upside-Down Plum-Pecan Pie

 

1/4

cup butter or margarine, softened

30

pecan halves (1/2 cup)

1/3

cup packed brown sugar

1

tablespoon corn syrup

2

cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1

teaspoon salt

2/3

cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening

4

to 6 tablespoons cold water

1 1/2

lb fresh plums, sliced (4 cups)

1/2

cup granulated sugar

1/3

cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1

tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 Cut 15-inch round from heavy-duty foil. Line 9-inch glass pie plate with foil round, leaving 2 inches overhanging rim of plate. Spread butter over foil lining. Place pecan halves, rounded sides down, on butter. In small bowl, mix brown sugar and corn syrup; drop by small spoonfuls evenly over pecans and foil.
• 2 In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
• 3 Gather pastry into a ball. Divide in half; shape into 2 flattened rounds on lightly floured surface. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.
• 4 Heat oven to 450°F. With floured rolling pin, roll one pastry round into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; ease into pie plate over pecans and brown sugar mixture.
• 5 In medium bowl, mix filling ingredients; pour into pastry-lined pie plate. Roll other round of pastry into 12-inch round. Fold into fourths; cut slits so steam can escape. Place over filling and unfold; seal and flute as desired. Turn up overhanging foil to catch juices and to prevent crust from excessive browning. Bake 10 minutes.
• 6 Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Bake 35 to 40 minutes longer or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust. Cool 5 minutes. Turn foil away from pastry. Turn pie upside down onto heatproof serving plate; peel off foil. Serve warm.