RUSTIC PEAR AND APPLE TART

I adapted this from a Bon Appetit recipe. None of the reviewers much liked the mace they called for (and I didn’t have it) so I subbed other spices. Plus it called for lemon zest; I subbed orange as that’s what I had. Also reduced the sugar a lot and doubled the filling in the apples and used whole wheat pastry flour. Excellent crust! Everyone loved this – the textures of the apples and pears came out just right – not too mushy, just toothy enough.

1 1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3 tablespoons sugar
zest of one orange or lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 stick cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large egg, separated
2 tablespoons ice water

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
4 tart apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
2 pears, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
4 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup chilled whipping cream
1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar or maple syrup, to taste

Mix flour, sugar, zest, salt and allspice in a food processor. Add butter and cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix egg yolk and water in small bowl. Add to processor and mix in using on/off turns until large moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in waxed paper and freeze 10 minutes.
Roll out dough, on top of a sheet of parchment paper, with waxed paper on top, to a 13-inch round. Refrigerate until filling is ready.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Combine apples and pears in a large bowl. Mix sugar, grated zest and cinnamon in a small bowl. Toss half of sugar mixture with apples and pears. Finely chop slivered almonds in processor. Spread almonds on bottom of crust.
Slide parchment with dough onto a baking sheet. Peel off the waxed paper. Pile fruit onto crust, leaving a two inch border. Sprinkle remaining sugar mixture over fruit. Dot with 1 1/2 tablespoons butter. Fold border of crust up and over, pleating and crimping as necessary. The center will remain exposed. Brush crust with reserved beaten egg white.
Bake until the crust is brown and filling bubbles, about 50 minutes.
Just before serving, beat cream and sugar in a large bowl until medium-stiff peaks form. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)
Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.