Aunt Gianna’s Recipe

Peaches with amaretti cookies and zabaglione are one of those desserts that instantly take me back to my childhood. Every summer, on the shores of Lake Maggiore, Aunt Gianna welcomed us with her cooking—simple, seasonal recipes prepared with love and the freshest ingredients available. Back then, I ate with the enthusiasm and appetite of a child, without truly appreciating just how extraordinary those dishes were. Only now do I realize how precious those flavors were, capable of turning simple ingredients into memories that have stayed with me ever since. This dessert is one of those recipes I hold close to my heart. I make it every summer, and every time I serve it, it feels like bringing a little piece of those carefree days by the lake back to life. For this recipe I always use percoca peaches, an Italian variety with firm, compact flesh. During cooking they hold their shape beautifully, gently absorb the poaching liquid, and never become mushy. The result is a peach that is tender yet still pleasantly firm, perfect with amaretti cookies and zabaglione. If you can’t find percoca peaches, any firm yellow-fleshed peaches will work, as long as they are ripe but not overly soft.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the peaches

• • 4 percoca peaches (1 per person)
  • 500 ml water
  • 500 ml dry white wine
  • Peel of 1 organic lemon
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon sugar

For the zabaglione

• • 3 egg yolks
  • 3 half eggshells of sugar (or 3 tablespoons)
  • 6 half eggshells of Marsala wine (or 6 tablespoons)

To finish

• • 16 amaretti cookies (2 for each peach half)

Cook the peaches

Wash the peaches thoroughly, cut them in half and remove the pits. If you prefer, you can leave the pits in during cooking and remove them once the peaches have softened. In a saucepan, combine equal parts water and dry white wine, then add the lemon peel. If you like, you can also add one teaspoon of sugar, although I never do. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, carefully add the peaches and cook for about 25 minutes, until they are tender while still holding their shape. Remove the peaches carefully and allow them to cool completely. Do not discard the cooking liquid—it will be used to moisten the amaretti cookies and add even more flavor to the dessert.

Prepare the zabaglione

Place the egg yolks, sugar and Marsala in a heatproof bowl or a small saucepan suitable for a double boiler. Whisk continuously over gently simmering water until the mixture becomes pale, airy and velvety. Keep whisking until the zabaglione has increased in volume and reaches a smooth, creamy consistency. The secret is to keep the heat gentle. The water should barely simmer, never boil vigorously, allowing the egg yolks to cook slowly and creating a light, silky zabaglione.

Assemble the dessert

Once both the peaches and the zabaglione have cooled completely, arrange two peach halves on each serving plate. Crumble the amaretti cookies into a small bowl and moisten them with a few teaspoons of the peach cooking liquid until they become soft and fragrant. Fill the cavity of each peach half with the softened amaretti mixture and finish with a generous spoonful of zabaglione. Serve the dessert well chilled. After a few hours in the refrigerator, the flavors meld together beautifully, making this dessert even more delicious.

Storage

The peaches can be kept in their cooking liquid in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. The zabaglione is best prepared just before serving.

Adocchio’s Tips

• • The peaches can be prepared a day in advance and stored in their cooking liquid.
  • Zabaglione is at its best when freshly made.
  • Sprinkle a few coarsely crushed amaretti cookies over the dessert before serving to add a pleasant crunchy texture.
  • If you enjoy the contrast between cold and warm, serve the chilled peaches with freshly made warm zabaglione.
  • For the traditional recipe, I recommend using Marsala wine, which gives zabaglione its unmistakable aroma and flavor.

This dessert starts with my Homemade Poached Peaches, gently cooked with water, white wine, and lemon peel. If you’d like to learn how to make them, you’ll find the complete recipe here.