Pear Tarte Tatin with Radicchio, Shallots, and Pecorino Romano

A savory take on the classic tarte tatin. As Ina Garten would say: "You can make your own puff pastry, but store-bought is fine!"

PREP: 25 min | COOK: 25 min | Serves 8

INGREDIENTS: 

• 4 Bartlett pears; peeled and sliced into wedges

• 3 tbs unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• Juice from 1/2 lemon

• Puff pastry (store-bought, Dufour)

• Radicchio; about 1/4 cup thinly chopped

• Shallot; about 1 tbs thinly sliced

• Freshly shaved Pecorino Romano

• Black pepper

• Drizzle of olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS: 

• Preheat oven to 400F

• Peel and slice pears into wedges.

• Heat butter, both sugars, and salt in cast iron pan on medium heat. Once melted, add pears, cinnamon, vanilla, and lemon juice. Sautee on medium-low heat until caramelized: pears should be soft and most of the liquid should be absorbed and thickened—about 20 minutes.

• To prepare the puff pastry, remove it from the fridge for several minutes before using it to ensure it’s going to cooperate with a rolling pin. On a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin, roll the dough into a circle until it reaches about the size of your cast iron pan. The dough should be about 1/4 inch thick.

• Arrange the pears into an even layer at the bottom of the pan. Then, drape the dough over the pan and tuck the edges beneath the sides of the pan and the pears.

• Bake at 400F for about 20-25 min until the crust is crispy and reaches a golden brown color. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool for several minutes. Then, cover the skillet with a large inverted plate and flip so that the pears are facing up and the crust is face down on the plate (the key here is to be quick and confident). If any pears are still stuck to a pan, just use a fork to dislodge them and tuck them back into the tart. Allow the tart to cool on the plate for about 5 minutes.

• While the tart is slightly cooling, thinly slice the radicchio and shallot. Sprinkle them on top of the tart, and using a peeler, shave fresh Pecorino Romano on top as well. Lastly, crack fresh black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil on top of the finished tart. Slice and enjoy!