I have a secret that might shock people, so I’m just going to come out and say it: I hate apple pie. I’m not sure when it started, but no apple pie is going to make me change my mind.

Many people assume that it’s the kind of apple pie I’ve had, or that I’ve had the misfortune of eating only store-bought pies, or that I dislike things merely to make a point.

The truth is that I don’t like the texture of too-soft, too-sweet cooked apples. I prefer a slice of apple to be accompanied by crunch.

I feel a bit cheated by my own revulsion to apple pie. Writer Gary Soto composed an achingly sweet piece about stealing an apple pie at age 6, and every part of my taste imagination wishes that I could enjoy those chunks of golden, buttery, syrup-covered crust with him.

I’m not here to convince you that you should dislike apple pie. I believe you, completely, that they taste delicious.

My parents have Asian pear trees in their yard, and for the past few years, they’ve been overloaded with the number of nashi dropping in the late summer. They did a little research on canning and then started creating pie filling with Asian pears instead of apples. They put a lot of work into a limited number of jars; very few people can claim one.

I usually hoard my allotted jar until I’m forced to share. I get positively giddy when I think about the sweetly spiced, velvety sauce over those barely crunchy pears.

This year we ate our jar of pie filling early on, and there was nothing to bring out at Thanksgiving. I decided that we still had to have our Asian pear pie, so I bought some fresh fruit and made one. Maybe it’s not as well steeped in spices as my mom’s canned kind, but I was happy to have a stand-in. I think my pie could give the apple pie of your heart some stiff competition.

Asian Pear Pie

3 Asian pears (also called nashi)

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons butter

Pie crust for a filled pie (top and bottom crust)

1 egg white, beaten lightly with a fork

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel, core and cut pears into 1/4-inch slices. You can just eyeball this. (If you cut slices thicker, they will have slightly more texture, and sauce will hang together a bit differently, so it’s your preference. Thinner slices will cook faster and feel softer.)

In large bowl, toss pear slices with the sugars, lemon juice, salt, spices and flour.

Place bottom crust in round 9-inch pie pan, making sure crust covers pie plate entirely, right up to edge of pan. Pour pears over crust, mounding them slightly toward the middle.

Cut butter into several pea-size pieces and dot top of filling. Place top crust over pears and seal edges. Cut a few slits in top crust to vent pie as it bakes. Brush with the egg white.

Place some aluminum foil on bottom rack of oven to catch drips from pie. As it cooks it will bubble over. Place pie on middle rack.

Bake 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake until crust is browned and filling is hot and bubbling, about 25 to 30 more minutes. Pay attention during last 10 minutes in case your oven runs hot.

Many people love hot pie, but sauce will have better consistency if cooled. Serves 8.

Nutritional information unavailable.

Note: If you have any inclination for streusel-topped pie instead of crust, that is a winner, too.

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Mariko Jackson blogs about family and food at www.thelittlefoodie.com.