I served the three traditional fondues, cheese with cut-up baguettes, marinated meat pieces cooked in hot oil with homemade sauces, and instead of a chocolate fondue, My friend Jackie Gordon even lent me her small chocolate fountain. However, we never got to the fountain because people were so stuffed from the meal. But they did graze the platter of German, Swiss, and Belgian chocolates I had brought back from a recent trip home to Europe.
All that lovely leftover cheese was inspiring so first up is this lovely winter savory Pear Camembert Sage Tart. The pears add a bit of sweetness to balance the cheese and the fresh sage brings another layer of savory. The sage leaves were picked fresh from my garden in January. Weird weather here on the East Coast of the US of A.
Substitutions:
Aside from the step of blind baking the crust, this Pear Camembert Sage Tart comes together very easily. I used red pears to boost the color for presentation but any variety will do.
If you would like to add some nutty crunch to the recipe, a scattering of a 1/2 a cup of chopped raw walnut pieces over the top before baking would do the trick.
Pear Camembert Sage Tart
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves loosely packed
- 3 pears
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 9 ounces camembert cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 tablespoons apple cider
- 2 large eggs
- Freshly ground black pepper.
Instructions
-
Whisk together the flour and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
-
Grate the butter into the bowl. Add 1/3 cup water.
-
Knead together and form into a ball. If the dough seems too floury and is not coming together, add water one tablespoon at a time, until you have a flakey, yet pliable dough.
-
Wrap the dough in plastic cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
-
Grease an 11" tart or pie pan.
-
Preheat the oven to 350F.
-
Roll the dough out into a circle. Transfer to the pan.
-
Crimp the dough around the edges of the pan.
-
Use a fork to poke holes in the bottom of the crust.
-
Cover the bottom of the crust with baking or parchment paper and evenly distribute pie weights on top. If you do not have pie weights, place a smaller-sized pan on top of the parchment paper.
-
Bake for 15 minutes and let cool. Keep the oven o at 350F.
-
Cut the sage leaves into thin ribbons.
-
Halve and core the pears. Cut each half into slices lengthwise, about 4-5 pieces from each half.
-
Toss them with the freshly squeezed lemon juice.
-
Slice the rind off the cheese. Discard and dice the cheese into small pieces.
-
Whisk together the sour cream, cider, and eggs.
-
Whisk in the sage leaves and season with salt and pepper.
-
Remove the pie weights and the baking paper from the blind-baked pie crust.
-
Evenly distribute the pear and camembert into the bottom of the tart.
-
Pour the wet ingredients over the top.
-
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until the top becomes golden brown.
-
Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Like this Pear Camembert Sage Tart? Also, check out some of these other delicious recipes:
BAKED CAMEMBERT WITH HONEY THYME ONIONS
BRUSSELS SPROUTS CHESTNUTS CAMEMBERT CASSEROLE
PLUM CAMEMBERT WALNUT BREAD
2 comments
Ah, this is beautiful, Lora! But a main or a dessert? I think this would make a gorgeous buffet dish so could be eaten as a savory or as a sweet. What a perfect way to use up cheese!
As good as that cheese fondue sounded, there is no way I wouldn't have left some room to partake in the chocolate fountain! Glad your NYeve gathering was a hit. This pear and Camembert tart looks delicious!