Pears make a sweet seasonal dessert

A croustade is an edible pastry container, a kind of open pie, not baked in a dish. The French word sounds appealing, evoking the idea of a crisp, flaky crust. When it's filled with pears, as in the following easy, seasonal recipe, you can add other associations: fruity flavor and texture, and rich juice.

Bartlett Pear and Almond Croustade

(Preparation 20 minutes, cooking time 20 to 25 minutes)

Pastry for single pie crust

4 ripe, but firm, Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and sliced

1/4 cup apricot preserves

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

3/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

For the topping:

2 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Lay pastry flat on a large parchment-lined baking sheet and set aside. Place pears in a medium bowl and add preserves, brown sugar, cornstarch, extract and cinnamon; toss well to coat pears with mixture. Mound pears in the center of the pastry and gather up the edges up to form a 2-inch rim of pastry around the outside. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, butter and brown sugar until crumbly; sprinkle over the opening of the pie and top with almonds. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool for at least 30 minutes to firm up the filling before cutting.

Makes 4 servings.