For the crust:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar and salt together. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse, pea-sized crumbs. Add ice cold water, and gently knead the dough a few times in the bowl until it all comes together.
2. Shape the dough into a ball and flatten it into a thick disk. Wrap it in plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch (30,5 cm) circle. Trim the rim of the circle if needed, in order to make a clean cut. Transfer the dough to a prepared baking sheet.

For the filling:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (200°C).
2. Chop chocolate into bite size pieces and keep a few pieces for later. Melt remaining chocolate and milk together in the microwave (stirring every 20 seconds increments) or in a water-bath until smooth and creamy. Spread on the bottom of the crust, leaving a 2-3 inch (5-7 cm) border all around.
3. Quickly mix ricotta cheese with sugar (do not over mix) and spread in a thick layer over the chocolate sauce.
4. Slice halved pears thinly and display them on top of the tart. Add the remaining pieces of dark chocolate.
5. Gently fold the edges of the dough over the fruits, overlapping the dough as necessary. Press gently to seal the edges.

For brushing and baking:

1. Brush the crust with the beaten egg, and sprinkle with slivered almonds and sugar on top.
2. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly (if you can!) before serving. Serve as is or with vanilla ice cream if desired.