Bosc pears must be very ripe; Anjou, which are juicier, can be slightly firm. Avoid enamel baking dishes, as they cause the syrup to burn.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　4 Anjou or Bosc pears

　　1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

　　2 tablespoons sugar

　　1 cup red wine

　　4 sprigs thyme (optional)

　　Vanilla Mascarpone (recipe follows)

　　Store-bought biscotti

　　

Vanilla Mascarpone

1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped

　　8 ounces mascarpone cheese

　　2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

　　(makes about 1 cup)

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Slice off the bottom of each pear just enough so it will stand upright. Using a melon baller or small spoon, remove the seeds from the bottom. Peel the upper half, leaving the stem intact; pat dry with a paper towel. Rub butter over the peeled part of each pear; stand the pears in a small baking dish (about 7 × 11 inches). Sprinkle with the sugar.

　　

Step 2

Pour the wine into the baking dish; add the thyme sprigs, if using. Bake until the pears are soft when pierced with a paring knife and well browned, about 45 minutes; using a small spoon, baste the pears occasionally with the wine, adding a bit of water as needed to prevent the liquid from evaporating. Remove from the oven.

　　

Step 3

Spoon some of the pan juices into each serving dish, and place a pear on top. Serve with a dollop of mascarpone and several biscotti on the side.

　　

Vanilla Mascarpone

Step 4

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, and stir together with a wooden spoon.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.