Photo courtesy of Kristin Teig

Crunchy Italian amaretti cookies, also called amaretti di Saronno, are a fun ingredient to play around with.

While you can of course pair a couple with your espresso, they’re so packed with bittersweet almond flavor, that’s really just the beginning. You can grind them into a flour-like consistency to use in cakes, turn them into a crust for tarts or cheesecakes à la graham crackers, or add them to a fruit crumble topping. Using them as a crumble is the approach here, except you’ll bake it separately to create sweet and crunchy contrast for a bowl of juicy shaved pears and dark chocolate. It’s an understated dessert that feels special.

Serves 4

Instructions:

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place the amaretti cookies in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse until coarsely ground, about 10 pulses. Add the almonds, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and kosher salt and pulse until the almonds just start to break up, about 8 pulses. Add the butter and pulse until large, heavy crumbs form and no dry spots remain, about 30 pulses.
3. Transfer the crumble mixture to the prepared baking sheet in a single layer, squeezing it into large clumps with your hands in the process. Bake, gently tossing halfway through, until golden brown and firm to the touch, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, quarter, core, and very thinly slice the pears (there is no need to peel them unless you prefer to). Place in a large bowl, drizzle with lemon juice, and toss to coat. Transfer the pears to a serving bowl or platter.
5. Once the crumble is ready, let it cool for 10 minutes, then sprinkle it over the pears. Shave the chocolate with a vegetable peeler or paring knife over the top, then drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with a few pinches of flaky sea salt.