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BARBETTA’S PEARS BAKED IN RED WINE ALLA PIEMONTESE

SEASON 4, EPISODE 8

“The Summer Man”

Barbetta, the elegant Piemontese restaurant where Don Draper and his beautiful date Bethany Van Nuys dine (see Barbetta’s Roasted Fresh Peppers alla Bagna Cauda), generously shared a dessert recipe with us as well. Pears baked in red wine alla Piemontese, like their roasted fresh peppers alla bagna cauda, first appeared on Barbetta’s menu in 1962, and would have been the perfect way for Don and Bethany to keep the warmth of the evening going.

Pears Baked in Red Wine alla Piemontese

COURTESY OF BARBETTA RESTAURANT, NEW YORK, NEW YORK

6 ripe Bosc pears

2 cups red wine

1⁄4 cup sugar

6 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1⁄4 cup lemon juice

  1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Wash and dry pears. Place pears in a baking pan that accommodates 6 pears (lay them flat). In a small bowl, pour the red wine and add sugar, cloves, cinnamon stick, and lemon juice. Stir until sugar dissolves. Pour mixture into the baking pan and place in oven. Turn pears after 5 minutes and brush with liquid in pan.
  2. Bake for approximately 1 hour (cooking time may vary depending on size and ripeness of pears), continuing to brush the pears every 10 minutes. Pears should be slightly crinkly. Remove pan from oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Serve with extra red wine sauce.

YIELD: 6 SERVINGS