This dish can be served as an entrée or even a dessert with a savory edge.

Ingredients

1 cup white sugar

1 cinnamon stick

1 vanilla pod

1 sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry

1 ripe pear

30g blue cheese

1 egg, beaten

20mL Pukara Estate Fig Balsamic Vinegar

Method

Place the sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in a pot with 1L of water. Bring to a boil for 4 minutes. Meanwhile, peel the pear and slice the bottom so it stands up straight. Add the pear to the sugar syrup, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and cook for 25 minutes. Once cooked, remove from heat and slice thinly.

Preheat oven to 200°C, grease a flat baking tray, and set it aside. Slice the square of pastry in half for two servings. Roll up the edges of each piece to create a border and brush with beaten egg. Arrange the sliced pear over the pastry base and evenly distribute small pieces of blue cheese over the pear.

Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Place the tart on a serving plate, drizzle with fig balsamic, and serve immediately.