Caramelized Pear Tart

My friend and coworker has a prolific pear tree. I am reaping the benefits. Although the pears took almost a week to ripen after being picked, some great projects have resulted.

From Epicurious. I made the crust the night before and let it refrigerate overnight.

4 large firm-ripe pears (2 pounds total)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
pastry dough

1. Make your pastry dough
2. Peel and halve pears, then core.
3. Heat butter in a 9- to 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until the butter is no longer foaming, then stir in sugar. 
4. Arrange pears, cut sides UP, in skillet with wide parts at rim of skillet.
5. Sprinkle pears with cinnamon and nutmeg and cook, until sugar turns a deep golden caramel, flipping carefully over for optimal caramelization once, and then back again. (This can take as little as 10 minutes or as much as 25.)
6. Cool pears completely in skillet.
7. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
8. Roll out your pastry dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch round and trim to a 9 1/2- to 10 1/2-inch round. 
9. Arrange pastry over caramelized pears, tucking edge around pears inside rim of skillet.
10. Bake tart until pastry is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Cook on rack 5 minutes.
11. Place a rimmed serving plate (slightly larger than skillet) over skillet and, using pot holders to hold skillet and plate tightly together, flip tart onto plate. Serve tart warm or at room temperature.

How pretty! I wasn't expecting it to look as nice as it did. Yum! The crust was really delicious too.