Sourdough Ginger Pear Bread with Walnuts

The delightful fruits of fall are as much a part of the changing season as the falling leaves and gray skies.
We love apples, of course, but I've been guilty of neglecting the lovely pear. They too fill the baskets in the produce section at the grocery store this time of year and I've been pleased to see them quite reasonably priced. 

After eating one in my lunch every day for over a week, I began to contemplate other ways to use them. How about a sourdough quick bread? With ginger, since that spice often paired with the fruit? It sounded really good. Though I couldn't find a the right recipe (it had to include sourdough), it seemed like a good fit.

The bubbly fermenting sourdough adds magic to the bread. 

Indeed it was. By slightly adapting the excellent Sourdough Oatmeal-Apple Loaf a wonderful new bread was enjoyed. The addition of sourdough assures a lovely, moist loaf with just a hint of tang. It is the not-so-secret ingredient in outstanding quick breads. 

Ginger Pear Sourdough Bread with Walnuts
A printable is available at Tasty Kitchen

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons molasses, optional
2 eggs
1 cup sourdough starter
2/3 cup oatmeal
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups chopped pears (about 2)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350℉.
Cream together sugar, oil, molasses and eggs. Stir together dry ingredients. 

Mix alternately with sourdough (or do what I do in my stand mixer by adding dry ingredients and then mixing while pouring in the sourdough). Fold in pears. 

 Pour in a well-greased large loaf pan or two-three mini-pans and top with walnuts.  Bake large loaf for about 50 minutes and mini-loves for about 30 minutes. 

Yes! This is how autumn tastes.