Pear Almond Tart

-GLAZE-
1/2 c Apricot preserves
2 tb Dark rum

FILLING
1/2 c Finely ground almonds
1/2 c Sugar
1 tb Flour
9 Firm, ripe pears
— (preferably Anjou)
— peeled, halved lengthwise
— and cored

To make pastry, put dry ingredients and lemon peel in bowl of food
processor fitted with metal chopping blade; process just to mix. Add
butter and cut into small pieces; process just until mixture resembles
coarse meal. Add egg yolk; process just until blended. With processor
running, quickly add ice water. Process several seconds until pastry
forms ball. Stop at once to avoid overmixing. Wrap ball in plastic wrap;
chill at least one hour.

Butter a 10-inch quiche pan with a removable bottom. Roll pastry out
slightly larger than pan. Carefully lift pastry to pan and gently press
against bottom and sides. Trim edges; prick bottom and sides with fork.
Chill for 1/2 hour.

Line pastry-filled pan with a circle of foil, pressing it gently against
pastry. Fill liner with uncooked rice or dried beans to weight. Bake in
preheated 375 degree F oven 15 minutes. Lift out liner with rice or beans
(save for future pastry baking). Bake crust 5 minutes longer; cool on
rack.

To make glaze, heat preserves and rum over low heat, stirring. Strain,
brush tart shell with 2 tablespoons glaze. Reserve remainder.

To make filling, stir together almonds, sugar, and flour; sprinkle over
glazed shell. Slice 12 pear halves crosswise. (Do not separate the
slices. -KM) Place sliced halves in circle over almond mixture in shell.
Chop remaining pear halves, use to fill spaces between sliced pears.

Bake in preheated 375 degree F oven 40 minutes. Remove from oven, brush
with remaining warm glaze.

Serve at room temperature.