Cranberry Crumble Pie

1. For filling: In a heavy-bottom medium saucepan, combine 12 ounces cranberries, 1/4 cup brown sugar, the orange zest and juice. Cook over medium-low heat until cranberries begin to burst, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely while you make the topping. (Or set in the freezer for a quick chill.)

2. For topping: In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Add cubed butter. Cut or rub butter into oat mixture with a pastry blender or your fingertips, rotating the bowl occasionally. Once most of the butter is incorporated, use your fingers to fully break down butter until it is in fine crumbs.

3. To finish filling: In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar, tapioca starch, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, the nutmeg, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon and the allspice. Add remaining 8 ounces cranberries, the pear and the cooled cooked cranberry mixture. Stir to combine.

4. Unwrap pastry and place it on a lightly floured surface. Bang the dough with your rolling pin about 4 times, from left to right. Rotate dough 180 degrees and bang left to right again. Begin rolling the pastry from the center forward, using less pressure on the edge. Every few rolls, rotate the disc a quarter-turn. If pastry starts to stick, lift it gently and sprinkle more flour underneath. If the top gets sticky, flip the disc over. Continue rolling and rotating until the circle is 12 to 13 inches across. Loosely fold the circle in half and transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Unfold dough and gently but snugly press it into the corners. If any dough hangs over by more than 2 inches, trim with kitchen scissors. (Use scraps to patch holes or bolster spots where you don't have much overhang.) Roll the dough overhang up and inward to create a thick rim, then crimp to seal. Transfer pie plate to freezer for at least 15 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 450° with racks on the center and lowest levels. Remove piecrust from freezer. Tear off a square of aluminum foil that is slightly larger than pie shell and gently fit it into the frozen crust, loosely covering the crimped edge. Fill crust all the way up to the crimps with dried beans or pie weights. Bake on the lower rack 25 to 27 minutes. Check for doneness by peeling up a piece of foil; the crimps should be light golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. After 6 minutes, carefully remove foil and beans or pie weights.

6. To assemble: Reduce oven temperature to 350°. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Using a small offset spatula, evenly spread cream cheese on bottom and sides of pie shell. In a small bowl, beat together the egg and water. Brush the crimped edge with egg mixture. Spread cranberry mixture over cream cheese. Carefully cover fruit with oat topping, leaving a hole in the center of pie to serve as both a steam vent and a doneness indicator.

7. Place assembled pie on the center oven rack. Place the lined baking sheet on the bottom rack to catch drips. Bake until pie juices are beginning to bubble in the center and topping is a uniformly deep golden color, 60 to 70 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 4 to 6 hours before serving with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

*Shopping tip

Not to be confused with tapioca pearls, tapioca flour (sometimes labeled tapioca starch) is powdery like cornstarch. It's a good thickener for pies because it doesn't cloud the filling. Bob's Red Mill is one widely available brand.