Delicious combinations
Spiced Pear Tatin
with Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese Puff Pastry with a 10-year-old Tawny Port
Serves 6
Ingredients:
6 large firm Forelle or Comice pears
1 tablespoon lemon juice
25g unsalted butter
25g demerara sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
350g ready made puff pastry
150g Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
clotted or Chantilly cream to serve
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to gas mark 6/200oC.
Peel, halve and de-seed the pears. Cut each pear into quarters and toss in the lemon juice.
Melt the butter in a pan and add the sugar, orange zest, nutmeg and cinnamon. As the butter starts to sizzle, add the pears and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes or until the pears have started to caramelise.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the top. Fold the pastry and re-roll into a 22cm circle.
Transfer the pears to a shallow metal baking dish, measuring 20cm diameter. Pour the excess caramelised butter over the pears then lift the pastry on top.
Crimp the pastry edges around the pears and make a couple of slits in the centre. Bake on a baking sheet for 30 minutes.
Remove the pear tatin from the oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes. Invert the tart on to a serving plate and serve with clotted or Chantilly cream.
