This tart is an explosion of flavours and a delicious blend of textures.
The pastry is made with dark muscovado sugar and molasses.
The filling is a delicious blend of pears-caramelised in white wine and infused with cinnamon sticks and brown sugar- fresh Sicilian ricotta cheese and dark chocolate chips.
This rich desert is the ideal treat to your coffee or tea parties on a rainy October Sunday.
Ingredients
For the pastry
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400 g flour (type 0)
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100 g rice flour
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170 g dark muscovado sugar
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125 ml sunflower oil (cold pressed)
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1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
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1 pinch table salt
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1 pinch ground cinnamon
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2 eggs
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1 egg yolk (for the eggwash)
For the filling
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225 g fresh ricotta cheese
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80 ml white wine
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50 g brown sugar
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3 small cinnamon sticks
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3 pears
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1 peel of a lemon (organic)
Preparation
For the pastry
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– beat the eggs together with sugar and the pinch of salt. Gently pour in the oil in the process;
– sift together all the powder ingredients in a bowl;
– pour in the beaten eggs and the remaining ingredients. Mix well till you get a smooth dough;
– wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
For the filling
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– chop the pears and put them in a sauce pan;
– add the brown sugar and the cinnamon sticks;
– bring to boil, then add the wine;
– cook on a strong flame for 15 minutes;
– sift the ricotta in a bowl, add the chocolate chips, the shaved peel of the lemon and the caramelised pears (remove the cinnamon sticks first);
To assembly the tart
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– grease and dust a 20cm diameter tart tray;
– stretch out two-thirds of the pastry dough with a rolling pin;
– give it a half centimetre thickness and put it in the tray, folding the edges around the tray;
– pour the filling on the pastry in the tray and level it;
– top with pastry shapes (e.g. flowers) or classic stripes;
– spread the top pastry with a beaten egg;
– sprinkle some brown sugar and ground cinnamon;
– bake at 180 degrees for about 25 minutes or till golden;
– serve once it has cooled down.