Carrie Rowe and Diana Sieger from Outpost Natural Foods write a monthly article for the exchange magazine call “Pantry Raid”. This week they bring their pantry knowledge to Wisconsin Foodie in the form of Filo Pear and Honey Tarts.

Filo Pear and Honey Tarts

Serves 4

Filo sheets are available frozen and are pretty delicate. Be sure to cover up sheets with a damp towel or plastic wrap while your’e working on the other ingredients. This tart can be adapted further to use apples, dried apricots, figs and feta…whatever your heart desires.

4 pears, peeled, cored and sliced
4 tablespoons honey
1 strip each of lemon and orange peel
juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons water
4 sheets of filo pastry (12 in x 12 in)
2 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons walnuts, toasted & chopped
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the pears, honey, citrus peel, lemon juice and water in a large pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover with a lid and cook gently for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until the pears are soft. Cool.

2. Lay the sheets of pastry on the your work surface and brush lightly with butter. Cut into approximately 6 inch squares. Lay down 3 squares on top of each other so that it creates sort of a star shape. Press into a muffin tin – and repeat until you have 4 pastry cups.

3. Fill each cup with the cooled pear mixture and toasted walnuts. Brush the edges with butter and scrunch them up on top of the tarts. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until golden brown. Great as a dessert served with ginger ice cream or for breakfast dusted with powdered sugar.