Maple-Glazed Pear and Hazelnut Tarts

• Recipe by Betsy Nelson and Jim Kyndberg

Ingredients

1. 1/3 cup hazelnuts
2. Vegetable oil cooking spray
3. 6 sheets of phyllo dough, plus extra in case of tearing
4. 1/4 cup maple syrup
5. 2 ripe Anjou or Bartlett pears

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small pie plate, toast the hazelnuts for about 7 minutes, or until fragrant. Transfer to a kitchen towel and rub off the skins; let the nuts cool completely. In a mini-processor, pulse the nuts until finely ground.
2. Coat 2 large nonstick baking sheets with cooking spray. Cut the phyllo sheets into 7-inch squares; you should have 12 squares. Lay a phyllo square on a work surface, brush lightly with maple syrup and sprinkle with a scant 1/2 teaspoon of the hazelnuts. Repeat to make 2 more layers and set the 3-layer square on a baking sheet. Repeat to make 3 more 3-layer phyllo-hazelnut squares. 
3. Peel, halve and core the pears. Cut each half into 6 lengthwise slices. Set a pear half on each phyllo square, fanning out the slices. Drizzle the pears with the remaining maple syrup and sprinkle with the remaining hazelnuts. 
4. Bake the tarts on the upper and middle racks of the oven for about 35 minutes, or until golden and crisp and the pears are caramelized; switch the pans halfway through cooking. Serve warm.

Notes

ONE SERVING: Calories 201 kcal, Total Fat 3.5 gm, Saturated Fat .4 gm