Best for: A five-ingredient dessert that tastes like Piedmont in August.
Piedmont fills peaches with amaretti and bakes them; the grill does the same work faster, caramelizing the cut sides over direct heat. Warm peaches, crunchy almond cookies, and a spoonful of mascarpone are a complete Italian summer dessert.
Grill: Direct medium heat; 375°F, peaches cut-side down first. Equipment: Grill, small bowl, spoon, tongs or spatula.
Ingredients
Total: 18 minutes.
Peaches
- 4 ripe but firm peaches, halved and pitted
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted (or olive oil)
- 1 tablespoon honey, plus more to serve
Filling
- 8 amaretti cookies, crushed
- 1/2 cup mascarpone
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- Fresh mint leaves (optional)
Directions
Stir the mascarpone with the honey and lemon zest and set aside. Crush the amaretti into coarse crumbs.
Brush the cut sides of the peaches with the melted butter and drizzle with the honey.
Heat the grill to 375°F and oil the grates lightly.
Grill the peaches cut-side down for 3 to 4 minutes, until caramelized with deep grill marks. Flip and grill skin-side down for 2 to 3 minutes more, until just softened.
Set the peaches cut-side up on a platter and spoon the mascarpone into each hollow.
Scatter the crushed amaretti over the top, add mint if using, and serve warm with an extra thread of honey.
Grilling tip: Firm-ripe peaches only — a soft peach collapses on the grate before it caramelizes.
