Rustic pear tarts

Last Saturday's seasonal table class meet, and after our trip to the Visalia Farmer’s Market, we brought back local Barlett pears from KMK Farms and Eversweet pears from O So Fresh Farms. With these beauties, we made 2 delicious pear desserts, a pear sherbet and these rustic pear tarts. They are easy, beautiful and yummy. You can also use the last of this summer’s fresh peaches instead. Or for a savory treat, replace the pears with some red cherry tomatoes roasted in olive oil and garlic, switch the orange marmalade out to basil chiffonade, and add fresh ground pepper and sea salt in place of the sugar.

Rustic Pear Tarts
From Sunset, SEPTEMBER 2008

Fresh pears and purchased puff pastry add up to an incredibly easy seasonal dessert.
serves 6

1 sheet (about 10 by 12 in.) frozen puff pastry (14-oz. package),thawed

2 or 3 firm-ripe pears, such as Bartlets, Bosc or Comice

About 1/3 cup orange marmalade

1 egg, beaten to blend

About 2 tbsp. raw sugar, (turbinado sugar)


1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Lightly butter 2 large baking sheets.
3. On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll out pastry to 16 by 18 in.
4. Cut pastry in thirds lengthwise and in half crosswise. With a wide spatula, transfer the 6 rectangles to baking sheets. Prick the centers with a fork to keep them flat during baking.
5. Core pears and cut into thin wedges. Arrange, slightly overlapping, on pastry rectangles, leaving a 1 1/2-in. border bare (angle slices if necessary).
6. Warm marmalade in a microwave oven to melt, then brush over pears.
7. Fold border over edge of pears, stretching slightly and pressing down to hold. Brush new edges with egg, then sprinkle turbinado sugar over tarts, especially pastry edges.
8. Bake until pastries are richly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve tarts warm or cool, with slightly sweetened fresh whipped cream.