1 teaspoon anise seed (optional)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 large (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb. total) ripe Bartlett or Anjou pears, peeled, cored, cut in half lengthwise
5 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Place an 8- to 10-inch frying pan with oven proof handle over medium heat. Add anise seed and butter. When butter melts, add pears; cook until fruit is lightly browned on both cut and rounded sides, about 10 minutes; turn pears over occasionally. When pears are browned, turn cut side down and space evenly apart in pan; remove from heat but keep warm.

  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whip egg whites on high speed until foamy, then whip in sugar. Continue beating until whites hold stiff peaks. With unwashed beaters, beat yolks in another bowl until double in volume, then stir in vanilla and flour; beat until well mixed. Stir about 1/4 of the whites into yolks, then fold yolk mixture gently into whites.

Pour egg mixture over warm pears, pushing batter down between fruit with a slender spatula. Cook over medium heat until pancake is dark gold on bottom (lift a corner with a spatula to check). Then bake pancake in a 300 degree oven until the top is dark gold color and the center is set (cut to test), about 15 minutes.

With a knife, loosen pancake from pan sides. Place a large plate (slightly wider than frying pan) over the pan; invert pancake and lift off frying pan. Cut into 6 wedges. Makes 6 servings.