Fresh Pear Tart

This pear tart is a magic trick.  You take fresh pears, 5 other ingredients, about 10 minutes of prep time, bake it for half an hour and poof! A beautiful dessert is on your table, waiting for a round of applause.

I have often made this pear tart, after finding it several years ago in Jacques Pepin’s More Fast Food My Way.  Jacques decided to use an ingredient that many of us have in our pantries, the flour tortilla,  for the crust.  Yes, the same flour tortilla that we use for quesadillas or to sop up chile verde. A bit of butter and sugar applied to the bottom of the tortilla transforms it into a crunchy yet light base for the pears. Guests might think you’ve rolled out your own pie dough or used a special puff pastry.  But you’ll know your magic ingredient.

Jacques Pepin has a gift for making food beautiful.  He recommends arranging the slices of pear into the shape of a rose.  Starting from the outer edge of the crust, you simply place the wedges with their thin sides towards the center.  Once you’ve filled it all in, it does resemble a delicate flower.  Another magical touch.

I used a silicone mat beneath my tart (I’ve used aluminum foil in the past as well).  You will find that some of the butter and sugar burns along the outside edges of the crust.  The rim of the crust shouldn’t burn, but you can trim it off in case it does.

The pears are definitely the star of this dessert, as they are only very slightly sweetened with a bit of sugar and then a brush of jam when the tart comes out of the oven.  (I reduced the amount of sugar and jam that the original recipe called for.)

After baking, the pears’ soft texture contrasts beautifully with the snap of the magical crust.   Before serving, sprinkle a few pistachios on top for color and crunch.

I kind of always want to say, “Abracadabra!” when I serve a slice after dinner.

Fresh Pear Tart

Dawn Dobie

Fresh pear slices atop a crisp pastry shell

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 1 medium-size flour tortilla (7 inch)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (divided--see below)
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 2 medium ripe but firm Bartlett or Anjou pears (about 3/4 pound total)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons apricot preserves or jam
• 1 tablespoon shelled unsalted pistachio nuts

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Line a cookie sheet with a reusable silicone mat or aluminum foil.
• Spread 2 teaspoons (2/3 of 1 tablespoon) of the softened butter evenly on one side of the flour tortilla, making sure to reach to the edge. Place the remaining softened butter aside.
• Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of sugar over the buttered tortilla surface, distributing evenly.
• Move the tortilla to the lined cookie sheet and quickly flip onto the silicone mat. (The butter and sugar coating should be on the underside; the plain side is facing up.)
• Peel, core, and slice the pears into about 1/4 inch wedges. Arrange the wedges on the tortilla, starting at the outer edge with the thicker part of the wedge facing out. Continue making slightly overlapped circles, moving toward the center of the tortilla with each round. End with a few pear pieces in the center of the tortilla so that the pattern resembles a rose.
• Divide the remaining 4 teaspoons of butter into small pieces and place atop pears. Sprinkle the pears with the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until the pear slices are a light golden color and the tortilla is brown and crisp. Don't panic if burned sugar/butter appears around the outside of the tart--that burned stuff should stay on the mat or foil when you remove the tart.
• Remove the tart from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Lift the tart carefully with a spatula and place on a rack to cool. If any burned bits have adhered to the crust, gently remove them.
• While the tart is warm, heat the apricot preserves in the microwave in a small bowl for 10 seconds to liquefy. Brush the preserves over the tart with a pastry brush.
• Right before serving, sprinkle the tart with the pistachios. Cut into 4 wedges and serve.

Notes

Delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Best served the day it is made.

Adapted from Jacques Pépin More Fast Food My Way