Crostata di Pera-Pear Tart

Crostata di Pera 

Pear Tart 

With Fall apon us this is a winter version made in Italy of the Crostata or Tart with Pear

This time of the year we get many types of pear, Kaiser,Abate Fetel, William.

For this recipe i use the Kaiser, it' s a firmer pear and cooks well. I love this Crostata or Tart because usually as you see in my other recipes that the Tart gets covered or lacing is done an the jam are cooked this uses fresh fruit then glazed at the end also i like to use a almond  flavor giving it a nutty flavor you can omit this when using a more soft fruit like in the summer apricots or peaches or even fresh plums 

Enjoy the recipe very simple with just a few things , and No i have not replaced the butter for anything .... geee lets sin a little !

Ingredients 

4 Kaiser/Bosc Pears

1 large egg 

1 cup flour all purpose 

1/2 tsp Almond Extract 

1/4 tsp Baking powder 

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 Butter 

1/4 tsp of salt only if your butter is non salted 

1/2 cup Sugar 

+ 1 tbs. of sugar for glaze 

1/4 cup Apricot/Peach/jam for glaze 

1 tbs. fresh lemon juice for glaze 

Oven preheated at 350 

spring form pan 9 or 10 inch or a removable fluted pan  

or any pan lined with parchment paper for easy lift off 

In a bowl add your flour, baking power and salt if need give it a good mix set aside 

In another bowl mix together the softened butter with sugar till creamy  ( you can use a mixer for this i do) add in your almond extract and egg mix very well, 

Now take your flour mixture add it by hand to the above mixture and you will get SOFT very soft dough ! yah 

Now place this dough with a spatula onto your pan or parchment paper and with a little help from our friend the flour your hand and after the spatula has spead out a little finish up with your hand to even out. You will need a little flour on your hand. 

Take your Pears peel them pit them and slice them about 1/8 of an inch placing the top pear towards the middle and keep turning in a circle then add the center the opposite way, sprinkle the cinnamon and bake about 65 to 70 min you will see the golden color on the dough and your pears appear cooked. 

When done cooking place on a cooling rack and in a small pan melt the jam and  lemon juice,spread on top of the tart/crostata. Cool and Enjoy ! 

MANGIA MANGIA !