Preheat oven to 400°.

Arrange squash in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 45 minutes or until tender.

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add apple, onion, celery, and bay leaf; sauté 10 minutes. Stir in curry powder and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add squash, broth, and salt; stir well.

Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Partially mash mixture with a potato masher until thick and chunky; stir well with a spoon. Top each serving with cheese.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cardamom in a large bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Combine buttermilk, rind, vanilla, and egg in a medium bowl; stir in dried pears. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist (dough will be sticky).

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Dust top of the dough with 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour, and pat into an 8-inch circle. Cut dough into 8 wedges; arrange wedges 1/2 inch apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush egg white over wedges. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.