Crustless Pear and Almond Tart

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter a 9 inch baking dish or tart pan.
• In a food processor, combine the almonds and 1/2 sugar and process until finely ground.
• Be careful not to process too long or it will turn into almond butter!
• Transfer the ground almonds to a medium bowl and stir in the flour and salt until blended.
• In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy.
• Whisk in the milk and melted butter until well blended.
• Add the egg mixture to the almonds and stir to blend well.
• Pour the batter into the prepared dish and spread to form an even layer.
• Peel, quarter and core the pears.
• cut each pear quarter into crossways slices, keeping the slices assembled as you go.
• Slide one of the sliced pear quarters onto a metal spatula or spreader and set it on top of the batter.
• Repeat with the remaining sliced pear quarters forming the spokes of a wheel.
• Press the surface of the fanned pears down into the batter so that only the surface of the pears is showing.
• Sprinkle the remaining sugar evenly over the pears and scatter the cut up butter bits over the top.
• Bake the tart in the upper third of the oven until the batter is puffed and golden brown, 40-45 minutes.
• Let the tart cool on a rack.
• You could substitute mangoes, peaches, or apples for the pears, and have the same delicious results.