Whisk 1½ cups of all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cut in ½ cup of cold cubed unsalted butter until it forms pea-sized crumbs.
Stir in ¼ cup of ice-cold water until the dough comes together. Shape into a disc, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Peel, halve, and core 5 small semi-firm pears. Toss with 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and ⅛ teaspoon of ground ginger, and refrigerate.
Preheat the oven to 400°F / 205°C. Melt ¼ cup of unsalted butter in a 10in / 25cm ovenproof skillet, whisk in ½ cup of packed light brown sugar, and cook for 3 minutes, whisking occasionally. Remove from the heat and let cool briefly.
Arrange the pears cut side up in the caramel. Roll the dough into a circle a little larger than the skillet, lay it over the pears, tuck in the edges, and prick it all over with a fork.
Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven to 375°F / 190°C and bake for 25 minutes more, until the crust is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto a large serving plate.
