Pear and Mascarpone Gratin

Preheat your oven to 380°F.

Wash and quarter the pears, cut out the core and cut them in 1-inch cubes. (I cut them in slivers, but they’ll be easier to eat if you cut cubes.) Spread them out in a lightly buttered 9×9 inch baking pan or pie plate. Lightly sprinkle them with 2 teaspoons of sugar.

Beat the butter with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and the egg yolk until foamy (using the whole egg will also work, it just won’t be as rich). Add the mascarpone, quark (or ricotta or sour cream), and flour and mix thoroughly until it turns into a smooth and creamy batter.

Spread the batter over the pears and bake for about 20 minutes until the mascarpone gratin turns slightly golden brown at the edges.

This dessert can be eaten warm (almost) right out of the oven, or thoroughly chilled.

Note: German-style soft cheese is what I used (you can reportedly find it at Whole Foods), but good results can also be had with ricotta or sour cream.