Sarasota's Simple Pear and Apple Tart

SarasotaCook's Note:

I admit ... I'm not much of a baker. I do bake, but I prefer to cook. I can make a great pie crust, and can make a great cake. The question is do I like to. NO. This is my version of baking. I take advantage of a premade pie crust, but please, if you like making your own, go for it. Fresh fall flavors and NO pie pan. This is a rustic tart with tons of flavors. This was actually my ex mother-in-laws recipe, but she made it as a pie and used nuts as a topping. After deciding to make it a tart, I though that my topping I came up with really added some flavor. But either way you make it as a pie or as a tart -- it is great.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 8

Yield: 8.0 Slices

Pie

• 1 pillsbury refrigerated pie crust
• 2 cups pears (thin sliced and peeled)
• 2 cups apples (thin sliced and peeled, I like Gala or Granny Smith)
• ¾ cup fresh cranberries
• 1⁄3; cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt

Topping

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Directions:

1. Crust -- Let the crust come to room temp or at least take the chill off. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or you can use a baking pad, but parchment is so easy, just too when done and no clean up. Also heat your oven to 425 degrees. I like to sprinkle just a pinch of flour on the pie crust (bottom side) before I put it on the parchment. Then press out the fold lines.
2. Filling -- In a medium bowl, add the pears, apples, cranberries, sugar, flour, nutmeg, salt and cinnimon. Mix well.
3. Pie -- Put all the filling directly in the center of the pie crust. Leave a couple of inches around the edge.
4. Topping -- Mix the flour, brown sugar butter and put over the filling.
5. Finish the pie -- Fold over the edges to make a rustic tart and leave a 5 or 6" center open with the filling and topping. Brush with the milk and sprinkle with the white sugar so it makes a nice shiny crispy crust.
6. Bake -- 425 for 10 minutes and then reduce to 350 and add the almonds and cook 20-30 minutes until golden brown. (If you add the nuts when you first start baking they can get too brown, so I wait until I reduce the heat). Cool before slicing.