Ingredients
Pastry:
1½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. granulated sugar
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup unsalted butter cut into ½ inch cubes and cold
8T iced, cold water
Filling:
3 large ripe pears, Anjou or Bartlett
2 cups fresh cranberries
½ cup walnuts, toasted*
¼ cup granulated sugar
2T crystalized ginger cut into small dice
½ tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
Topping:
3T all-purpose flour
¼ cup walnuts, toasted* cut into small dice
¼ cup brown sugar
2T crystalized ginger cut into small diced
2T butter, softened
1. Preheat oven to 400º F.
2. Pastry: In a food processor, add the flour, sugar and salt; pulse a few times until combined. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture has pea size bits of butter. Add the cold water and pulse just until the mixture just starts to come together.
3. Dump the dough onto a piece of plastic film, using the plastic to gather the dough and flatten into a circle, and chill for at least an hour.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a circle slightly larger than your 10-inch tart pan, and then transfer the dough to the pan.
5. Careful push the dough into the sides of the pan. Trim off any excess dough.
6. Prick the bottom of the tart with a fork and line with parchment paper and pie weights.
7. Bake at 400º F oven for 20 -25 minutes until till dough is set. Remove the tart from the oven, take out the pie weights and the parchment, and return the tart pan to the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes, until golden brown.
8. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
9. Lower oven temperature to 350º F.
10. Filling: Peel the pears, core and slice into ¼ inch-thick slices and place into a medium-size bowl.
11. In a food processor, coarsely chop the cranberries. Add the walnuts. Pulse few times. Add mixture to the pears.
12. Add the sugar, ginger, cinnamon, and salt to the cranberry-pear mixture.
12b. Tossing to combine. Spoon the filling into the crust.
13. Topping: In a small bowl, mix the flour, walnuts, brown sugar, and ginger. Add the butter, combine with your fingers or fork, and sprinkle oven the filling.
14. Place tart into the oven and bake at 350º F until the fruit is tender and the crust is brown, about 30-40 minutes. If crust starts to get too brown before the fruit inside is done, cover with foil.
15. When tart is done, remove from oven and place onto a cooling rack. Serve the tart warm or cool.
* To roast nuts: preheat oven 350º F. Place nuts on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Shake the pan and continue baking until nuts are toasted, about 3-5 minutes more. Let them cool. The roasted nuts can be store in an airtight container for weeks.
TIPS & TRICKS
• Pastry can be made ahead of time and kept frozen for up to 3 months in an air tight container or zip lock bag. Defrost in the refrigerator when needed.
• The tart is best enjoyed the day it is made, but you can:
• Bake the crust the day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and store on the counter. Don’t refrigerate.
• Topping can be made ahead.
• Except for the pears, the filling ingredients can be prepared ahead. The day of serving, peel the pears and combine with the other filling ingredients. Then fill the crust and bake.