Baked pears with vanilla mascarpone
Instructions:
- Bosc pears must be very ripe; Anjou, which are
juicier, can be slightly firm. Avoid enamel baking
dishes, as they cause the syrup to burn.
- 4 Anjou or Bosc pears
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup red wine
- 4 sprigs thyme (optional)
- Vanilla Mascarpone
- Store-bought biscotti
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Slice off the bottom of each pear just enough so it will stand upright. Using a melon baller or small spoon, remove the seeds from the bottom. Peel the upper half, leaving the stem intact; pat dry with a paper towel. Rub butter over the peeled part of each pear; stand the pears in a small baking dish (about 7 x11 inches). Sprinkle with the sugar.
- Pour the wine into the baking dish; add the thyme sprigs, if using. Bake until the pears are soft when pierced with a paring knife and well browned, about 45 minutes; using a small spoon, baste the pears occasionally with the wine, adding a bit of water as needed to prevent the liquid from evaporating. Remove from the oven.
- Spoon some of the pan juices into each serving dish, and place a pear on top. Serve with a dollop of mascarpone and several biscotti on the side.