Recipe: Pear and Ginger Tart

Pear and Ginger Tart

1 recipe sweet pastry
Flour and sugar for dusting
3-4 small pears
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons crystallized ginger
3 tablespoons quick-cooking rolled oats
3 tablespoons cold butter, cut in 1/4 inch cubes
3 tablespoons almonds
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon dried cranberries
2 tablespoons slivered or sliced almonds for garnish
Flour & sugar for dusting
1 tablespoon butter in small pieces for finishing
Juice of half a lemon

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Roll out pastry to about 10 inches round. Place on a baking sheet, sprinkle with a dusting of flour and sugar, and set aside in a cool place.

Cut pears in half lengthwise, remove stem and scoop out core with a small melon scoop. Rub with lemon juice and set aside.

In a food processor, grind the ginger, oats, butter, almonds, sugar, flour and cranberries till they form a coarse paste. (You can add some chopped, peeled pear if you like.)

Fill the cavity of each pear with ginger paste (don't worry about being neat, but don't overfill) and place pear halves in a starburst shape (cut side down, stem end toward center) on pastry. Roll edges of pastry up to form a scalloped edge against the fruit. It should look rustic rather than perfect.

Mound extra ginger paste in center of tart. (If there's lots left, sprinkle between pears, too.) Scatter sliced or slivered almonds over entire tart. Dot with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Garnish with whole or sliced crystallized ginger and/or dried cranberries.

Bake in preheated 350 F oven for 30-40 minutes or till fruit is soft and pastry is golden.

Cool slightly and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Yield: One tart