Name: Pear and Pistachio Puff Pastry Tartlets
Ingredients: 3 sm Pears; peeled, halved, cored; 1 c Essencia or other sweet dessert wine; 1/2 Vanilla bean; 2/3 c Shelled unsalted pistachios; (about 3 ounces); 1/2 c Sugar; 3 tb Unsalted butter; room temperature; 1 lg Egg; 2 Frozen puff pastry sheets; (one 17 1/4-ounce package), thawed; 1 Egg; beaten to blend, (glaze); Finely chopped pistachios; Fresh mint leaves; 4 servings

We can never attach too much importance to the atoning death of Christ. It is the leading fact in the word of God, on which the eyes of our soul ought to be ever fixed. Without the shedding of his blood, there is no remission of sin. It is the cardinal truth on which the whole system of Christianity hinges. Without it the Gospel is an arch without a key-stone, a fair building without a foundation, a solar system without a sun... This, after all, is the master-truth of Scripture, that “Christ died for our sins.” To this let us daily return. On this let us daily feed our souls. Some, like the Greeks of old, may sneer at the doctrine, and call it “foolishness.” But let us never be ashamed to say with Paul, “Be it far from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Gal. 6:14.)

J.C. Ryle

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Grains, Eggs	Nouvelle		1	Servings

INGREDIENTS

3	sm	Pears; peeled, halved, cored
1	c	Essencia or other sweet dessert wine
1/2		Vanilla bean
2/3	c	Shelled unsalted pistachios; (about 3 ounces)
1/2	c	Sugar
3	tb	Unsalted butter; room temperature
1	lg	Egg
2		Frozen puff pastry sheets; (one 17 1/4-ounce package), thawed
1		Egg; beaten to blend, (glaze)
		Finely chopped pistachios
		Fresh mint leaves
	4	servings

INSTRUCTIONS

The 1970s saw perhaps the biggest change in cooking in this century. That's
when a group of talented young chefs in France came up with "nouvelle
cuisine," emphasizing fresh ingredients, elegant presentation, and
interesting and unusual combinations of foods and flavors. American chefs
quickly imported it and made it into something uniquely their own. For our
take on this landmark in contemporary cooking, we've shaped purchased puff
pastry into individual tartlet, filled them with pistachio frangipane and
sliced pears, and topped it all off with a sweet-wine glaze.
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.
Bon Appétit November 1993
Posted to recipelu-digest by Sandy <sandysno@pctech.net> on Feb 26, 1998

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