Roasted Red Pear and Grape Bread with Thyme

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Servings:
6

Concord grapes and slices of Bartlett peartransport store-bought focaccia from the ordinary to the sublime. The fruit is oven-roasted together with honey and thyme, which has a woodsy note. The resulting mixtureis spooned over the bread to make a memorable late-afternoon snack.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons honey

  • 2 red-skinned pears, such as Bartlett, halved lengthwise, cored, and cut lengthwise into ½-inch-thick slices

  • 12 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more sprigs and chopped fresh thyme, for garnish

  • 1 pound grapes, preferably Concord Focaccia, for serving

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 3 tablespoons honey in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until bubbling and thickened, about 2 minutes. Add pears to skillet; transfer to the oven. Bake 10 minutes. Turn pears over using tongs, and sprinkle with 6 of the thyme sprigs. Add grapes to skillet. Bake until pears are golden and caramelized, about 15 minutes more. Discard thyme sprigs.

  2. Heat remaining 1/4 cup honey and 6 thyme sprigs in a small saucepan until honey has reduced and thickened; discard thyme sprigs. Spoon pear mixture over the focaccia; drizzle with honey from saucepan, and garnish with the chopped thyme and more sprigs. Cut into squares for serving.

Cook's Notes

A dry, salty sheep's milk cheese, such as a pecorino, makes a great accompaniment to this dish.

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