Rustic Pear, Honey and Ginger Tart {A Sort of Galette}

There's a lovely pear tree in the playground of my sons school which is dropping all it's fruit. We collected a few and made this rustic pear tart with honey and ginger. Rustic a pretentious way of saying messy.

If making pastry scares you just use shop bought, but to be honest this pastry is really easy and pretty much fool-proof provided you don't treat it like Play-Doh. The edges are simply folded over to stop the fruit escaping and there's no need to bake it blind.

Pear, honey and ginger are three flavours which work astoundingly well together, but if you're not a fan, try apple, brown sugar and cinnamon, or throw in a handful of blackberries or chopped nuts. The only rule is to serve it warm with custard, cream or ice-cream. Heaven.

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Rustic Pear, Honey and Ginger Tart

• Serves: 8

• Time: 20 mins prep + 45 mins baking

• Calories: 304 per serving

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

• 260g plain flour + extra for rolling

• 40g icing sugar + extra to dredge

• 1 tsp of ground cinnamon (optional)

• 120g butter, chilled and cut into small cubes

• 1 medium egg, beaten

• Splash of cold water

N.B. The butter needs to be chilled so it does not melt in your hands, so make sure your hands, utensils and surfaces are as cool as possible. If the butter melts it affects the gluten in the flour and you'll get tough, chewy pastry instead of crumbly short pastry.

For the pear, honey and ginger filling:

• 4-6 pears chopped, peeled and cored

• 3 tablespoons clear honey

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1/2 an egg beaten or a little milk for brushing

• 1 tbsp chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions:

1. Start by making the pastry. Sieve the flour, icing sugar and cinnamon into a bowl.

2. Add the butter and quickly rub into the flour so the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3. Mix in the beaten egg and enough cold water to form a smooth dough.

4. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and pop in the fridge for 30 minutes.

5. Pre-heat the oven to 200 C / gas mark 6. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.

6. Roll the dough out onto a floured surface and cut a circle roughly the size of a dinner plate.

7. Place the rolled pastry onto the baking paper lined baking sheet.

8. Toss together the pears, ginger and honey in a bowl.

9. Spoon the pears into the centre of the pastry leaving a 5cm gap round the edge.

10. Brush the bare edges of the pastry with the beaten egg or milk.

11. Fold over the edges of the pastry into the centre and brush again with egg or milk.

12. Scatter the walnuts over the top.

13. Bake for around 45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the pears are tender.

14. Serve warm with custard, cream or ice-cream.