Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Prepare the pastry and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Refrigerate.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees and place a baking sheet on a low rack. In a food processor,
grind the almonds, 2/3 cup sugar, eggs, sherry, vanilla, salt, 2 tablespoons butter and the
orange zest to make a smooth, slightly flowing paste.
Fill a large bowl about one-third full with water and add the apple cider vinegar. Peel the
pears and cut them in half lengthwise. Using a spoon (a grapefruit spoon works best), re-
move the vein for the stem and the seed pit. As you finish each pear half, slip it into the
bowl. Make sure there is enough water to cover all the pears.
Spread the almond mixture on the bottom of the pastry, using the back of a spoon to spread
it evenly. Pat each pear half dry and carefully cut it into thin crosswise slices, keeping the
pear in its original form. (This will take some time at first, but you'll get the hang of it
quickly.) As you fin ish each pear, flatten it slightly, lightly pushing down against the cut-
ting board and toward the base of the pear. Lift it, using the flat of the knife as a spatula,
and carefully place it in the tart pan, with the narrow stem end toward the center. Place
each subsequent pear slice next to the previous one in a spoke pattern until the tart is filled.
Brush the pears with the melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon sugar.
