AMARETTO-PEACH CRUNCH
Adapted from Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Heaven
Preparation time: 45 minutes (20 minutes of work--less, if the peaches are presliced)
Yield: About 6 servings

Peach crisp goes to Italy.
  • Frozen peaches work well in this, so keep this in mind in the dead of winter, when you need to be reminded of summer.
  • For a lovely variation, try using pitted sweet cherries (fresh or frozen), in combination with the peaches, or by themselves.
  • If you are making Belgian waffles, you'll need to use twice as much batter for each one as for standard-size waffles. So in Step 4, where it says "1/2 cup batter" per waffle, make that approximately a cup of batter for a Belgian waffle.
2 pounds sliced peaches, fresh or frozen
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Amaretto liqueur (optional)
36 amaretti cookies (crunchy Italian almond macaroons)
1 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup brown sugar crystals (optional)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange the peach slices in an 8x8-inch pan or a gratin dish. (NOTE: If you are using frozen peaches, you don't need to defrost them first, but you do need to separate them.) Sprinkle with lemon zest, lemon juice, and Amaretto, if desired.
  2. Place the amaretti in a food processor and grind into crumbs with a few short bursts. Add the almonds during the last burst or two, so they get broken up but not finely ground. Stir in the optional sugar, if desired. (If you are in need of a little exercise, you can bypass the food processor. Put the cookies in a plastic bag and whack them mercilessly with a rolling pin. Add the almonds and optional sugar, and shake well.)
  3. Transfer the cookie mixture to a bowl, pour in the melted butter, and mix with a fork until well combined. Sprinkle the topping over the peaches, patting it into place. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold, plain or `a la mode.