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Savory Pear Tart with Gruyere and Bay Leaves
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Dough chilling time
1 hr
 

This rustic savory pear tart with Gruyere and fresh bay leaves makes for a lovely holiday appetizer.

Recipe Type: Appetizer
Keyword: savory pear tart
Makes: 12 servings
Author: Elizabeth Stark
Ingredients
Pastry
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons plus one tablespoon cane sugar, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into thin slices
  • 1/3 cup ice water
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
Filling
  • 2 Red Anjou or other firm variety of pears, halved, cored and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
  • 3 tablespoon brown sugar
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 8 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese
  • 4 fresh bay leaves, or for more mild flavor, 4 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
  1. Make the dough at least an hour ahead (longer, if possible).
  2. In a large mixing bowl, use a fork to whisk the flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, and sea salt together. Toss in the slices of butter, and cut into the flour mixture, either with a pastry cutter or with your fingertips. The mixture should be crumbly, with each bit of butter coated in flour. Use a silicone spatula to fold in just enough ice water for things to hold together. Tip mixture out onto a lightly floured sheet of parchment or plastic, gather into a disc, and wrap tightly. Set in the fridge to chill for at least an hour, but preferably overnight. If at any point in the dough-making process, the dough starts to feel warm or gluey, stop and put it back in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes or so.
  3. When ready to make the tart, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
  4. In a medium mixing bowl, toss the pears with the brown sugar, lemon zest, and sea salt. Set aside.
  5. Set the cold dough on a lightly floured sheet of parchment. Roll into a rough 15 x 12-inch rectangle. Trim any extra dough and patch up any holes. Reserve any leftover dough.
  6. Scatter half the cheese in the center of the dough rectangle, leaving a 2- or 3-inch border. Working at a diagonal, arrange the pears in lines so the cut side lines up in little rows. Don't overcrowd or overlap the slices – you'll likely have a few left over. Tuck the bay leaves around the pears.
  7. Brush the pastry border with egg wash and fold the long sides in first, followed by the short sides. Press to crimp the folds firmly together. Plug any holes with reserved dough. Brush the edges with egg wash and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cane sugar. Add the remaining cheese, mostly over the pears, but add a few bits of cheese over the crust as well.
  8. Bake 25 - 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling and brown in places. If any of the cheese forms a bubble, open the oven and carefully press it down with a fork.
  9. Cool 30 minutes, slice, and serve. If desired, remove the bay leaves before serving, though I prefer to leave them in and just warn my guests.
  10. Tart can also be made a day ahead and rewarmed in a 300 degree oven for 15 - 20 minutes.