In Lidia’s Kitchen: Pear Crumble has a hearty fall feel
This version of a crumble has a hearty fall-and-winter feel, but it can be made with any other seasonal fruits as well. The dried cherries give great flavor and texture to the filling, while the oats give a nutty crunch to the crumble.
Lidia Bastianich is widely considered the first lady of Italian cooking. She owns several restaurants around the country, including one in Kansas City. This recipe is from “Lidia’s Commonsense Italian Cooking” (Alfred A. Knopf, 2013). To find more recipes or follow her on social media, go to LidiasItaly.com.
Pear Crumble
Makes 6 servings
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits, plus more for the baking dish
1 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup brandy
6 firm Bosc pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
3/4 cup sugar
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped blanched almonds
Pinch kosher salt
Unsweetened whipped cream, for serving
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart baking dish (a flat oval dish gives the best topping-to-fruit ratio). Combine the cherries and brandy, and let macerate for 15 to 20 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the soaked cherries, pears, white sugar, lemon zest and juice. Spread in the baking dish.
In a food processor, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, almonds and salt. Pulse to combine, then drop in the butter pieces. Pulse until the mixture forms clumps the size of peas. Sprinkle over the fruit, and don’t pack it down.
Bake until browned and bubbly, about 45 minutes. Let cool on a rack for 15 minutes before serving warm with whipped cream.
Per serving: 546 calories (26 percent from fat), 16 grams total fat (8 grams saturated), 31 milligrams cholesterol, 96 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 31 milligrams sodium, 7 grams dietary fiber.
This story was originally published December 8, 2015 at 3:00 AM with the headline "In Lidia’s Kitchen: Pear Crumble has a hearty fall feel."