Petorai

Pears baked in the oven with red wine, sugar, and spices, with a glossy, aromatic base.

4 servings

Easy

Petorai are baked pears, a sweet and fragrant preparation in which the fruit retains its shape while absorbing the aromas of red wine and spices. The heat makes the pulp tender and concentrates the flavor. pan juices, transforming the sugar into a glossy, intense and enveloping sauce. The recipe enhances Volpine or Kaiser pears, varieties suitable for prolonged cooking because they remain firm. The cinnamon and whole cloves They add a warm note, while the wine balances the sweetness with a deeper character. Petorai are a traditional dish made with cooked fruit and are best enjoyed warm, with their aromatic base well-refined.

Instructions

Voice reading

5 steps · natural Italian voice

Wash and arrange the pears

Wash the pears carefully and arrange them upright in a mold, keeping them close together and stable. Choose whole pears, preferably Volpina or Kaiser varieties, so they can withstand baking without completely losing their shape. Make sure the mold holds them without squashing them and that they remain upright during baking.

Add sugar and wine

Sprinkle the pears with sugar, distributing it evenly over the surface. Pour the red wine into the bottom of the mold, without submerging the fruit: it should collect at the base and form the cooking liquid. Make sure the sugar adheres to the pears and that the wine evenly reaches the entire base of the mold.

Perfume the bottom

Combine the cinnamon and the two whole cloves Pour the wine into the bottom of the pan. Arrange them next to the pears, so the aromas can develop during baking without concentrating in one spot. The bottom should be fragrant even before baking.

Bake the pears

Bake the mold in hot oven and start cooking. Hold the pears upright and check the bottom regularly: the wine should gradually reduce, while the sugar will form a glossy, aromatic liquid. Don't let the bottom dry out completely, as it will be used to baste the fruit during cooking.

Sprinkle while cooking

Water the pears often with the pan juicesCollect the liquid from the bottom of the mold and spread it over the surface of the pears. Repeat this process at regular intervals until the pears are shiny, fragrant, and tender. Finish when the base is thicker and firmer, but still sufficient to accommodate the pears.

Chef's Tips

Arrange the pears straight and sprinkle them often with the pan juices, so the sugar and wine will form a shiny, uniform coating without drying out the fruit.