Recipe - Italian New Years - Pear And Almond Crostata

PASTRY
One half cup Butter; softened
One fourth cup Granulated sugar
1 lg Egg yolk
2 One half cup Allpurpose flour; unsifted
1/8 teaspoon Salt

FILLING
4 lg Ripe pears; peeled and cored
2 tablespoon Pear brandy
3 lg Eggs
One fourth cup Almond paste
2 tablespoon Granulated sugar
One half cup Allpurpose flour; unsifted
One half cup Heavy cream

CHOCOLATE SAUCE
4 ounce Bittersweet chocolate;
chopped
1 tablespoon Butter
1 tablespoon Heavy cream

OPTIONAL INGREDIENT
2 tablespoon Confectioners' sugar

Several hours or the day before serving prepare Pastry: In mediumsize
bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and granulated sugar
until light and fluffy. Beat in yolk until well mixed. Reduce mixer speed
to low. Gradually beat in flour and salt. Gather dough into a ball, flatten
to a 5" round and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate pastry at least one hour or
overnight. When pastry has chilled, between 2 sheets of floured waxed
paper, roll out to a 13" round. Remove top paper and invert pastry into 11"
tart pan with removable bottom, allowing excess to extend over edge. Remove
remaining sheet of waxed paper. Fold excess pastry inside so that it is
even around top edge with rim of pan; press pastry against the side to make
an even thickness. Wrap and refrigerate pastry crust until ready to bake
(no longer than 24 hours). Heat oven to 350F. Prepare Filling: Cut pears
lengthwise into 1" thick slices. In medium size bowl, combine pears and
brandy. In another medium bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat
eggs, almond paste and granulated sugar until well mixed. Beat in flour and
cream until smooth. Arrange pear slices spoke fashion in chilled pastry
crust. Place several slices in center. Add any brandy remaining in bowl to
egg mixture and pour over pears. Bake tart 3540 minutes or until a
toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire
rack. Up to 30 minutes before serving prepare Chocolate Sauce: In top of
double boiler over hot not boiling water, heat chocolate and butter until
melted. Remove from heat and stir in cream until smooth mixture forms. Keep
warm in double boiler over hot water. Just before serving pour sauce into
pitcher. To serve, remove rim from tart pan and place tart on serving
plate. Sift confectioners' sugar around edge of tart, if desired. Cut tart
into 12 wedges and serve with chocolate sauce. Store any leftovers in
refrigerator. Country Living January 1998, page 108.

Recipe by: Alan Tardi and Karen Bussen, Follonico, NYC.

Posted to MCRecipe Digest V1 #970 by Peg Baldassari
Baldassari@compuserve.com on Dec 22, 1997