Pear Almond Tart

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

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

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.