Pistachio Pear Tart Food

PEAR AND PISTACHIO PUFF PASTRY TARTLETS

Steps:

• Combine pear halves and 1 cup dessert wine in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring wine to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until pears are just tender, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pear halves to paper towels and drain well. Boil pear poaching liquid in saucepan until reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 7 minutes. Set glaze aside.
• Finely grind 2/3 cup unsalted pistachios and sugar in processor. Add unsalted butter and egg; blend just until filling is combined. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover pears and nut filling separately and refrigerate. Cover glaze and let stand at room temperature.)
• Unfold pastry sheets on work surface; press out folds. Using 4 1/4-inch scalloped round cookie cutter, cut out four rounds from each sheet. Using 3 1/2-inch round from cookie cutter, cut out one 3 1/2-inch round from each of four rounds (reserve 3 1/2-inch rounds for another use); set pastry rings aside. Brush egg glaze over outer edges of four 4 1/4-inch solid rounds. Pierce rounds all over with fork. Top each with one pastry ring. Transfer pastries to baking sheet. Freeze 15 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead; cover and keep frozen).
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake pastries 10 minutes, piercing centers with fork if centers rise. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• Spoon 1/4 of nut filling into center of each pastry. Slice pear halves and arrange atop filling, covering completely. Bake until pastries are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool pastries at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Brush pears with glaze. Sprinkle chopped pistachios around pears. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and serve.

APRICOT & PISTACHIO FRANGIPANE TART

Steps:

• First, make the pastry. Sieve the flour, ground almonds and a pinch of salt into a large bowl. Add the butter and lightly rub in until you have no large lumps. Make a well in the centre, mix the egg yolk and sugar together until the sugar is dissolved, then pour into the well. Stir until the liquid is well combined and you have a smooth, very soft pastry. Wrap in baking parchment and rest in the fridge for 1 hr.
• Roll the pastry between two sheets of baking parchment, then line a deep 23cm fluted tart tin with the pastry - you will need to work quite quickly when it comes up to room temperature. Don't worry if it tears or breaks, just patch it up - it will knit together again when it bakes. Return the pastry case to the fridge while you make the filling. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• To make the frangipane, beat together the sugar and butter until fluffy, then add the egg, egg yolk and ground nuts. Fill the tart case with the frangipane and top with the apricots. Press them into the frangipane and sprinkle with the chopped pistachios. Bake in the oven for 40-50 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden and the frangipane is puffed and coloured.