Peaches, nectarines, apricots and plums are all perfect for this dish – but ensure whatever you choose is in pristine condition as over-ripe fruit will collapse when baked.
Serves: 6–8
INGREDIENTS
8 firm but ripe nectarines or peaches, preferably free-stone or 12 apricots or plums
butter for greasing
Filling
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons icing sugar
40 grams butter, soft but not melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
finely grated zest 1 lemon
250 grams firm ricotta cheese
¼ cup pistachios, roughly chopped
To finish
caster sugar
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
Generously butter a baking dish just large enough to hold the fruit snugly, once halved. Halve the fruit and remove the stones. Use a teaspoon to scoop out a little flesh to make the hollow slightly larger. Reserve this and dice finely to add to the filling. Place the fruit cut side up in the baking dish.
Filling: Beat the egg yolks, icing sugar, butter, vanilla extract and lemon zest until light.
Drain any whey from the ricotta and pat with kitchen towels to remove excess moisture. This is only possible if the ricotta is in a firm ‘cake’. Crumble the cheese into the egg yolk mixture, add the reserved flesh and the pistachios and combine with a fork, keeping the mixture a little chunky.
Spoon it into the hollows of the fruit, mounding it up slightly. Sprinkle with caster sugar.
Bake for about 40 minutes until the fruit is tender and the filling is golden. Leave in the dish for at least 10 minutes before serving. Best served warm.
Zany Zeus or Clevedon Valley Buffalo Company ricotta are both ideal for this recipe.
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