BEGGARS PURSE

6 peeled and cored pears
4 cups water
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup lemon juice
2-1/2 pints raspberries
One 10 x 15-inch puff pastry sheet

Put pears, water, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice in stainless steel pan and bring to a boil. Simmer on low until pears are slightly soft. Drain pears completely and set on paper towels to dry completely and cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Thaw out puff pastry and cut into 6 equal squares. Stuff pears with raspberries. Take 1 square of puff pastry at a time, and roll out to fit up around pear. Slice thin strip from pastry to tie around pear.

Wrap the rest of pastry around pear to look like a beggars purse. Take thin strip of pastry to tie at top. Repeat for other pears.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes until pastry is golden brown.