Our next-door neighbor, Ann, keeps bringing us fresh produce from her country home, and we like it. Thanks for your amazing generosity Ann! This summer we were regaled many times with ultra fresh tomatoes, basil, bok choy, sweet corn, lemons, eggplants, oranges, and pears: all delicious and organically produced, and all consumed with gusto.

rustic pear tart

We had a huge bag of pears, so I decided to bake something with them. I wanted something easy because it was mid-week and I didn’t want to spend the evening in the kitchen. While checking my google reader I spotted the perfect recipe: Torta Rústica de Pêra from my blogger friend, Fernanda. Her recipes are incredible; so are her writing, blog design and pictures! Congrats Fer and happy birthday to you!

This tart is extremely simple to make because the puffy pastry dough is store bought. I have used this same kind in a very successful savory tart before. It works perfectly every time. The only problem with this tart, if it truly is a problem, is that once you start you can’t stop eating it.

rustic pear tart ready for the oven

rustic pear tart

8 organic pears
1 container Duflour puff pastry (2 sheets), defrosted
½ container apricot preserves, I used Bonne Maman
1/3 cup water
Egg wash (1 egg plus 1 tbsp water beaten)
1-2 tbsp brown sugar
Few drops of lemon juice

Pre heat oven to 350F.

Lay parchment paper on two large baking trays.

Dust the surface of your counter top with flour. Stretch each puffy pastry, giving it a rough rectangular shape. Place them on paper lined trays.

Add water and apricot jam to a saucepan, stir and warm until it becomes runny. Remove from heat

Remove tops, bottoms and core pears, cut into thin half moon shaped slices. I did not peel mine, to add to the rusticity. Brush puff pastry with egg wash. Arrange pears over pastry, slightly overlapping one another. Squeeze few drops of lemon over pear slices. Brush with melted apricot jam. Sprinkle with brown sugar.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Watch it for the last 10 minutes to prevent burning.