Pear, Prosciutto & Gorgonzola Tart with Dried Cherries
recipe by Sidney Fry MS, RD | photography by Big Dreamz Creative
Layers of crisp-crackly phyllo crust make a light-but-sturdy base for this creamy, cheesy tart topped with juicy pears, plump dried cherries and crunchy pecans. Turns out pears pair beautifully with funky gorgonzola, which seamlessly brings out their sweetness as well as that of the dried cherries. Toasted pecans add an extra layer of nutty, heart-healthy crunch. If possible, start with firm pears, which will caramelize in the oven. This plays well with a mimosa (use fresh oranges!) or sparkling water. Don’t want to mess with phyllo? Try this winning combination of toppings on a whole grain naan, puff pastry or pizza crust.
INGREDIENTS
8 (9” X 14”) sheets phyllo dough, thawed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup toasted pecan halves, divided
2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 ounces gorgonzola cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoon honey
2 firm bosc or bartlett pears, very thinly sliced
1/4cup dried cherries
2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
1 tablespoon rosemary
Preheat oven to 375°F.
DIRECTIONS
Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Lay 1 sheet phyllo on paper; brush lightly with a thin layer of oil. Repeat 3 times. Very finely chop 2 tablespoons toasted pecans. Sprinkle finely chopped pecans over 4th sheet. Repeat layering phyllo and olive oil with 4 more sheets. Brush top layer of phyllo with oil.
Bake 10 minutes.
Combine cream cheese, gorgonzola and honey. Dollop over par-baked phyllo. Return to oven 2-3 minutes to soften cheese. Remove from oven and very carefully spread cheese mixture over phyllo. Top with pears, cherries, prosciutto, and rosemary. Bake 15 minutes or until phyllo is golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining pecans. Cool 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Sidney Fry is a two-time James-Beard-Award-winning food and nutrition writer who loves creating simple, healthy recipes and thoughtful, actionable content for the hungry consumer. A healthy living proactivist, Sidney is also a registered dietitian nutritionist, recipe developer and mama of three based in Birmingham, Alabama.