Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 1 hr
• Almond crunch can be made 4 days ahead and kept in a sealed plastic bag at room temperature. • Pears can be roasted 1 hour ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
For almond crunch
For pears
Preparation
Make almond crunch:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Step 2
Whisk together egg white and sugar, then add almonds, stirring until coated. Spread in a thin layer on a buttered baking sheet and bake in middle of oven until golden, 15 to 25 minutes. Cool on baking sheet on a rack, then break into pieces.
Step 3
Increase oven temperature to 425°F.
Roast pears:
Step 4
Halve pears lengthwise and core (preferably with a melon-ball cutter). Spread butter on bottom of a 9-inch square baking pan and sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar. Arrange pears, cut sides up, on sugar, then brush cut sides with 1 tablespoon Amaretto.
Step 5
Roast pears, uncovered, in middle of oven until barely tender, about 25 minutes. Add water, remaining tablespoon Amaretto, and a pinch of salt to baking pan, then baste pears with pan juices. Roast pears, basting twice with pan juices, until tender, about 15 minutes more.
Step 6
Serve pears warm or at room temperature, drizzled with pan juices and topped with almond crunch.
