Peach and Amaretti Cookie Crisp

To my horror, I got home from the farmer's market today to discover that three of my six perfect peaches had been pulverized by the zucchini they were sharing a bag with.  (Note to self: from now on, peaches get their own bag.)  I didn't want to simply toss these poor peaches, after having painstakingly picked them out for their peachy smell and not-too-firm flesh.  But I knew that if I didn't eat them immediately, they would turn to brown peach-mush.  By that point I was in no mood to eat three peaches in one sitting, so I decided to cut them up and make a peach crisp.  

I adapted my usual crumbly topping recipe to include some crushed amaretti cookies.  For those of you who are unfamiliar, amaretti cookies are light, crispy, almond-flavored cookies, similar to meringues. I had planned to carry the almond flavor into the filling by tossing the peaches with some almond extract.  This was a good idea right up until the point that I realized I was out of almond extract.  Instead, I substituted rum because, why not?!  And I can tell you that I did not regret that decision.  As it turns out, peaches + almond = delish, but peaches + almond + rum = whoa baby.

Amaretti Cookies - my secret weapon.  (Well, I guess it's no secret anymore!)

Peach and Amaretti Cookie Crisp

3 large peaches, cut into 1 inch chunks 

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 tablespoon flour 

1 teaspoon rum (or 1/2 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract)

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup crushed amaretti cookies (about 8 little cookies - be sure to leave some big chunks)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch salt

1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal

6 tablespoons butter, very cold and diced into small cubes

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Toss the peaches with the sugar, flour and rum (or almond/vanilla extract).  Pour the peaches and any accumulated goo into a small baking dish (I used a 9" oval, but an 8 x 8" square would work too).

See?  You'd never know these peaches were recent victims of a vicious zucchini-beating.

In the bowl of your trusty stand mixer, or in a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugars, cookie crumbs, cinnamon, salt, and oatmeal.  Stir to combine.  Next, add the cubes of cold butter.  If using your electric mixer, just stir in the butter on low speed until coarse crumbs form.  If mixing by hand, either use a fork, pastry cutter, or your hands to combine the butter with the dry ingredients.  If using your hands, the best way to work the butter in is to sort of squeeze/rub the butter and dry ingredients between your fingers and thumbs until crumbs form.  (I also use this technique if my mixer is taking too long.)  Once your topping is combined to crumbly perfection, sprinkle it on top of the peaches, making sure all the peaches are covered. 

Truth be told, this topping recipe always makes just a little more than I need.  I usually reserve a cup or so of the crumbly topping for a night that I want to make one or two mini fruit crisps (this is easy, just use some ramekins and scale down the filling recipe).  Store the leftover crumbly topping in an air-tight container in the fridge.  

Place your baking dish on a foil-lined baking sheet.  You'll thank me later for this step.  If all goes as planned, there will be peachy-ooze all over that baking sheet, instead of the bottom of your oven :) Bake for 45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges.  

I wish there was a scratch and sniff option :)