- 1 large egg white
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup sliced almonds (preferably with skins; 2 3/4 oz)
- 3 firm Bosc pears (1 1/2 lb total)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons Amaretto or other almond-flavored liqueur
- 1/2 cup water
- Special equipment: parchment paper; a melon-ball cutter (optional)
- Accompaniment: mascarpone cheese (optional)
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Whisk together egg white, sugar, and salt until sugar is completely dissolved, then add almonds, stirring until coated. Spread mixture in a very thin layer on parchment-lined sheet, spreading almonds away from center of pan.
- Bake until deep golden, 15 to 25 minutes. Cool on baking sheet on a rack, then break into pieces.
- Increase oven temperature to 425°F.
- Halve pears lengthwise and core with melon-ball cutter or a paring knife.
- Spread 1 tablespoon butter on bottom of an 8-inch square glass baking dish and sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar.
- Arrange pears, cut sides up, on sugar, then dot pears with remaining tablespoon butter. Sprinkle remaining tablespoon sugar over pears, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon Amaretto.
- Roast pears, uncovered, until barely tender, about 25 minutes (sugar will harden on bottom).
- Add water, a pinch of salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons Amaretto to baking dish and stir (around pears) until sugar is dissolved, then baste pears with pan juices.
- Roast pears, basting twice with pan juices, until tender, about 15 minutes more.
- Serve pears, warm or at room temperature, drizzled with pan juices and topped with almond crunch.