Open Faced Pear Tart With Red Wine Sauce Recipe

How to make it

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• In saucepan just large enough to hold pears, combine wine, sugar, lemon, cinnamon and water See Photo. Bring slowly to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar.
• Peel pears, leaving stems on. Add to wine mixture See Photo. If necessary, Add water & wine in equal parts until pears are covered by liquid. Simmer, covered, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Transfer pears with slotted spoon to shallow bowl See Photo. Cool. Discard lemon and cinnamon stick.
• Cook remaining syrup in saucepan over high heat, uncovered until reduced to ¾ to 1 cup. (Note! Don’t overcook sauce! STOP BEFORE sauce turns brown---should be red. Better to under cook! It will thicken as it cools.)
• Refrigerate pears and syrup separately, covered, until ready to bake.
• Thaw and unfold pastry, following package directions. Roll pastry out to 12-inch square.
• Using pear as a guide, cut out 6 pear shapes, each about ½ to 1-inch larger than pear See Photo. Place 2 inches apart on large ungreased cookie sheet. Cut 2x1/4 inch strips from scraps for stems. Attach to tops of pear cutouts with a little water. Cut leaf shapes from remaining scraps, if you wish.
• Trim about one-third along length from one side of each pear so that they lay flat. See Photo
• Remove cores (I use a melon baller to remove the cores). Place pears flat on cutting board. Starting about ¾ inch below stem, make between 5 to 8 evenly spaced lengthwise cuts through each pear. See Photo
• When ready to bake, place one pear on each pastry cutout See Photo. Fan out slices gently.
• Bake in preheated hot oven (425 degrees) along with leaf cutouts, if making, for 10 to 15 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden. Place tarts on dessert plates (being very careful not to break off your stems and leaves). Brush pears generously with some of the reserved wine sauce.
• Serve tarts warm with remaining sauce.
• You can poach the pears, make the cut outs and prepare the sauce ahead of time. Then just assemble and bake 15 minutes before serving.
• Makes 6 servings.