Pesche Ripiene alla Piemontese

Name: Pesche Ripiene alla Piemontese
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Piemontese
Ingredients: 4 large yellow peaches; 100 g amaretti biscuits; 25 g Unsweetened cocoa powder; 40 g caster sugar; 1 large egg yolk; 30 g Unsalted butter; 60 ml Dry white wine; 15 ml rum or amaretto liqueur

A classic Piedmontese summer dessert of ripe yellow peaches halved, hollowed, and baked with crushed amaretti biscuits, cocoa, and butter.

🇮🇹Italy· Piedmont

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 60 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 310 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

4 large yellow peaches — ripe but firm, unpeeled
100 g amaretti biscuits — dry, crisp style, finely crushed
25 g Unsweetened cocoa powder — sifted
40 g caster sugar — fine
1 large egg yolk — free-range
30 g Unsalted butter — cut into 8 small cubes
60 ml Dry white wine — such as Cortese or Arneis
15 ml rum or amaretto liqueur — optional splash

Equipment

•Baking dish
•Mixing bowl
•Fork or melon baller
•Chef knife
•Parchment paper

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 310 kcal
fat: 12 g
carbs: 44 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 4 g
calories: 310 kcal

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan).
2
Wash and dry the peaches, then slice each fruit in half along the natural seam and remove the stones.
3
Scoop out a small spoonful of pulp from the centre of each peach half to enlarge the cavity.
4
Finely chop the scooped peach pulp on a board and place it into a mixing bowl.
5
Crush the amaretti biscuits into coarse crumbs using your hands or a rolling pin.
6
Add the crushed amaretti, cocoa powder, sugar, egg yolk, and liqueur to the bowl with the chopped peach pulp.
7
Mix the filling thoroughly with a fork until it forms a thick, moist paste.
8
Arrange the peach halves cut-side up in a lightly buttered baking dish, fitting them snugly.
9
Mound the cocoa and amaretti filling generously into the hollow of each peach half.
10
Top each filled peach half with a small cube of butter.
11
Pour the white wine into the bottom of the baking dish around the peaches, avoiding the filling.
12
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the peaches are tender and the chocolate-amaretti tops are crisp and fragrant.

Chef's tips

Choose peaches that are fragrant and ripe but still firm to the touch, as overripe fruit will collapse during baking. If the peaches do not sit level in the baking dish, slice a very thin sliver off the bottom skin to steady them. Let the baked peaches rest for at least fifteen minutes before serving, as the flavours settle and deepen as they cool to warm or room temperature.

Ingredient substitutions

amaretti biscuits → gluten-free amaretti biscuits for a gluten-free version
dry white wine → sweet dessert wine like Moscato d'Asti or water with a drop of lemon juice
rum or amaretto liqueur → pure almond extract (a few drops)

Storage

Store leftover baked peaches covered in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Reheating

Bring to room temperature naturally or warm gently in a 150C oven for ten minutes.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Using very soft or overripe peaches, which turn to mush in the oven.
•Pouring the wine directly over the crumb topping, which makes the filling soggy instead of crisp.
•Crushing the amaretti into fine powder rather than uneven crumbs, which reduces pleasant texture.

Serving suggestions

Serve warm or at room temperature with a spoonful of the sweet cooking juices spooned over the top.Accompany with a glass of chilled Moscato d'Asti or sweet Erbaluce di Caluso passito.Pair with a scoop of fior di latte gelato on warm summer evenings.