Serves 8
Prep time 10 minutes
Cooking time 35 - 40 minutes
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
Single crust pastry
Melt butter in a ten-inch cast iron skillet. Add sugar and cinnamon and stir until combined and bubbling. Carefully arrange pear slices in a pleasing pattern in the pan. Simmer for ten minutes, until pears are almost tender.
In the meantime, make pastry:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup Butter Flavored Crisco
5 - 6 tablespoons of ice cold water
In a mixing bowl stir together flour and salt. Cut in shortening until pieces are the size of baby peas. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water over part of the mixture and gently toss until it comes together. Push to one side and repeat until all the flour mixture is moistened and easily forms into a ball.
Knead once or twice until dough comes together. Roll out to a ten inch circle and place on top of the pears. Tuck in the edges so that there is no overhang (or up-hang as the case may be).
Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 25 minutes (checking after 20), until crust is light brown and filling is bubbly.
Let cool for five minutes in skillet. Place a flat plate over the skillet and flip over quickly. If any pears remain in the skillet, gently scrape them and place them on tart. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
