Courtesy of Lisa Nichols of DeAnnas Restaurant in Lambertville
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter, for greasing the pan (if needed)
- All-purpose flour, for dusting the pan (if needed)
- 1 ball Pate Brisee (recipe follows)
- 1 generous cup crumbled good quality gorgonzola or Roquefort cheese (or to taste)
- 2 to 3 large ripe pears, Anjou, Bosc, Bartlett or whichever local pears are available
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons grated pecorino cheese (or substitute Parmesan if you prefer)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, marjoram or sage, plus more for garnish
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon good quality brandy, such as Armagnac
- Freshly ground nutmeg, for dusting
- 3 tablespoons good quality honey
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper
- Several drops white truffle oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) very cold or frozen unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons ice water
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350°F. If your tart pan is not nonstick, grease it with butter and dust it with flour
When the dough is done chilling, remove it from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Roll the rough into a 10 to 11-inch round or square tart pan. Carefully transfer the dough to the pan and press it into the flutes on the sides. Cut off most of the overhanging dough at the top edge and press it into the flutes to make a thicker crust on the sides. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour Once chilled, remove the pan from the refrigerator and use a paring knife to trim the top edge of dough so it is neat and even.
Place the tart pan on a large rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the crumbled gorgonzola evenly on the bottom of the tart. Peel the pears, cut them in half and scoop out the cores; slice into thin, evenly sized pieces. (Set aside any smaller pieces, which you can use to All in the middle of the tart.) Place the slices, point-sides in, in a tight, overlapping pinwheel shape all the way around the pan.
In a measuring cup, combine the heavy cream and eggs; beat with a fork. Add 2 tablespoons of the grated pecorino, the herbs, black pepper salt and brandy. Gently pour the egg mixture over the pears, being careful not to overfill the tart. Give it a gentle shake to help distribute the egg mixture. Add a light drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of pecorino cheese. Dust a small amount of nutmeg over the top.
Bake for 45 minutes, rotating once, halfway through. Check the tart when the timer goes off; depending on your oven, you may need another 10 to 15 minutes. The tart is done when the crust and the top are evenly golden brown.
Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool until it is Arm in the center—it shouldn’t wiggle at all.
While the tart cools, make the drizzle. In a measuring cup with a spout, combine the honey, jalapeno, truffle oil and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
Cut the tart into slices, top each serving with a little of the drizzle and garnish with fresh herbs.
PÂTE BRISÉE
This all-purpose dough is perfect for any savory or sweet tart.
Combine the flour; sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor; and pulse to blend. Add the butter cubes and pulse again until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with the ice water With the processor running, slowly add the egg mixture, stopping a few times to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The dough will be soft and malleable; be careful not to overmix.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead it lightly with your hands until the dough holds the shape of a ball. Flatten the dough into a disk shape and wrap it in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. (This dough holds well and can be refrigerated or frozen to use in the future).
If you choose to make this dough by hand, mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, then add the butter; Use your flngertips to mix the butter cubes into the flour mixture. Slowly add the ice water and eggs, stirring with a fork until everything is incorporated. When the mixture starts to resemble dough, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead until the ingredients come together to form the dough ball.
