Let me start by saying Happy New Year! This year is sure to bring new flavors, tasty dishes and fun DIY projects, so let's dive in.
I was lucky enough to spend this past holiday with my husbands family in Montana. When I returned home, I couldn't get over how the food we ate during the trip was s so inspired by the beautifully stark landscape and harsh climate. We ate elk sausage and kale for breakfast most mornings, dried fruits for snacks and bison and potatoes for dinner. I loved the rustic simplicity of each dish we tasted especially in this rustic pear tart my mother-in-law made. When you sit down to eat this deliciously sweet and flaky tart, think of wild roaming bison, towering white mountains and wide open plains pouring into the slate blue sky.
What You'll Need
For the Crust
2 1/2 cup unbleached flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2" cubes
1/2 cup ice water
For the Filling
8 sweet, ripe pears*
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup apple cider
1/4 cup brown sugar
Raw sugar for sprinkling
*Even though Bosc is the standard baking pear, I prefer Bartlett for this recipe.
To prepare the crust, whisk together the flour and salt in a medium-sized bowl (You can sift it together, but whisking works just as well and takes a fraction of the time). Scatter the butter pieces throughout the flour and toss to coat them. Using 2 knives or a pastry cutter, "cut" the butter into the flour. This can also be done in a food processor to speed up the process - just pulse the ingredients together a few times. Once the mixture is coarse and resembles corn meal, sprinkle the water over the dough and either pulse a few more times in the food processor or bring the dough together with a fork until the dough forms a ball. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
To prepare the filling, peal each pear. Using a paring knife, cut strips of the pear as thinly as possible. They do not all have to be uniform - this is a rustic tart, after all.
Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the pears cinnamon. Cook the pears, stirring occasionally until just soft, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla, cider and brown sugar. bring the mixture to a boil and cook until liquid is mostly evaporated, stirring constantly, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove pan from heat and set aside
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out into a circle until it is about 1/8" thick. It is okay if the ends are rough and if the circle is not symmetrical. Transfer the rolled out dough to the baking sheet on top of the parchment paper.
Carefully spoon the pears into the center of the dough. Fold the edges up over the pears. If your dough cracks, just tear a piece off from the edge and patch it.Sprinkle the raw sugar over top.
Place the tart in the oven until the crust is golden brown, about 22 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Serve with warm ice cream. To reheat the tart, place in a 200 degree oven for 10 minutes.
This is one of my favorite afternoon snacks in the late fall, early wintertime. The spice of the parsnips pairs wonderfully with the delicate sweetness of the caramelized onion and buttery crust. Serve it warm with just wilted arugula and a balsamic reduction drizzled over top.
If you have left over pastry dough, roll it out as thin as you can, cut into small squares and skewer with a fork. Salt and pepper and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes and you'll have delicious little crackers!
What You'll Need:
For the Crust
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter, cold and cut into 1/2" cubes
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream, plus extra
For the Filling
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 red onion, sliced into thin half circles
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 medium sized parsnips
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- Salt and pepper
To prepare the crust, combine the flour, confectioners' sugar and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Scatter the butter pieces over top and toss to coat them. Using 2 knives or a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse and resembles corn meal (this can also be done in a food processor to speed up the process - just pulse it a couple times). In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and cream with a fork until smooth. Make a well in the center of the flour and butter mixture and pour in the egg mixture. Using the fork, start to beat the egg mixture into the flour until the dough starts to come together. If the dough is still too dry, add a little extra cream. Form the dough into a ball and flatten it into a disk with the heal of your hand, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to overnight.
When the crust is thoroughly chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and place the disc in the center of a tart pan. Using the heal of your palm, press the dough into the pan, filling up the bottom and sides, until the dough is about 1/8" thick. Cut off any excess. Place the crust in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
When the crust is chilled, line it with tin foil and fill the foil with rice, beans or pie weights. Place the crust in the oven for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes are up, check to see if the crust is dry by gently lifting up one corner of the foil. If the foil sticks, it is not ready - return the crust to the oven and check every 2 minutes. Once the foil stops sticking, remove the foil and weights and return the crust to the oven for another 5 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and let cool. Reduce the oven temperature down to 375.
To prepare the filling, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is just golden brown, add the onions. When the onions begin to soften, add the brown sugar. Cook the onions until they are dark in color and fragrant, about 5 - 7 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Remove the onions from the heat.
Chop the peeled parsnips in half and again lengthwise into longish strands, about 4" long and 1/4" wide. Arrange the parsnips in the bottom of the crust so they cover the bottom. Try to arrange them in an attractive pattern. Set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk the milk, cream, eggs, yolk, salt, pepper and thyme until the mixture is smooth. Pour the milk mixture over the parsnips into the crust. Arrange the onions on top.
Place the tart in the oven until the center has set when you give it a little shake, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Serve warm.
