These pear turnovers take advantage of the convenience store-bought puff pastry. Once the pastry has thawed you can make them, start-to-finish, in 30 minutes. I love the combination of pear and blue cheese, but if you don't you could substitute a bit of brie or goat cheese or skip the cheese entirely. These are rather large, but keep in mind that puff pastry is mostly air so they're not as excessive for two people as they might appear. (Larger image.) Makes 2.

See Also

French Beef Stew (Boeuf en Daube)

Lamb Steak with Gremolata

Florentine Pork Chops: A New Twist on an Italian Classic

Ingredients

• 1 sheet puff pastry; thawed
• 1 ripe pear; peel, core, and cut into thin slices
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 2 Tbsp. crumbled blue cheese
• 1 egg

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes

• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: Makes 2.

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spritz it with cooking spray.

2. Cut pastry into 4 squares.

3. Arrange 1/2 the pears on each of two squares.

4. Sprinkle sugar and allspice over pears. Sprinkle blue cheese over pears.

5. Whisk egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush egg wash ligtly on edges of squares with pears.

6. Lay the other squares over the pears and press to seal edges. Crimp edges with the tines of a fork then brush tops with egg wash.

7. Bake in center of oven until golden brown - about 15 minutes.