Rustic Pear Tart - Delicious Magazine

This is a fabulous recipe I found in Delicious Magazine, and very appropriate in this snowy weather!   Rustic because there is no fluted tart dish or posh pie, just a lovely rich pastry encircling the juicy cinnamony pears....    It went very well with home made custard, and also with vanilla ice cream.    Serving 6 people, it looks more unusual than a standard pie, and the pastry was very light and buttery.  This will become a favourite!

Rustic Pear Tart

Rustic Pear Tart

8oz/225g plain flour

3tbsp caster sugar

½ tsp salt

5oz/140g butter, chilled

1 large egg

Filling:

4-5 pears, peeled, cored and sliced

1tbsp soft light brown sugar

½ tbsp ground cinnamon (yes, that much!)

1tbsp plain flour

1 egg, beaten (to glaze)

icing sugar to dust

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C. 

Make the pastry either by hand (rubbing the fat into the flour, then adding the egg), or in a processor .   If it is too dry, add a little more water.  Wrap in cling film and chill for 20 minutes (the recipe says 30-40).   

Put the pears into a large bowl and toss with the sugar, cinnamon and flour.  Roll out the pastry on a sheet of non-stick parchment to give a large circle about 5mm/1/4” thick.  Arrange the pears in the middle of the circle, leaving a border of about 8cm/3 inches.   Use the sides of the paper to help lift the pastry over the pears, folding the sides up and around the pears so the juice doesn’t leak.   Brush the pastry with beaten egg, then bake for 40 minutes until golden. 

Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar, accompanied by whipped cream, Greek yoghurt, ice cream, home made custard or all of the above!