02
Meanwhile, to make the tart, place 1/2 cup of pecans, the flour and the salt in a food processor and pulse until the pecans are ground. Add the butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the egg and pulse just until dough begins to come together. Gather dough into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes.
03Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough into a circle about 3/8-inch thick and fit it into a 10-inch tart pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, fill with pie weights or raw beans and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the paper and the weights and bake for 5 minutes more. Set aside.04Peel, halve and core the pears. Arrange the pear halves in a circle over the crust, cut side down. Scatter the remaining pecans over and around the pears. Drizzle 1/4 cup of maple syrup over the top. Bake until the pears are soft but hold their shape, about 45 minutes, covering the top loosely with aluminum foil if the crust browns too much before the pears are done. Let cool.05Stir together 1/4 cup of maple syrup and the Cognac. Brush the mixture over the pears. Cut into wedges and serve with a scoop of maple ice cream.