"Where's the matzo?" is the traditional question at every Seder table. But this year, the unleavened flat cracker bread has done quite the disappearing act, according to today's New York Times story about a shortage caused by everything from glitchy new ovens at Manischewitz to Trader Joe's decision not to carry the Passover product this year.
But a far more important question for me is "Where's the almond macaroon?" 
Every year I stock up on packages of this simple but hard-to-find treat during Passover, when most supermarkets amp up their selections of kosher products. Sure, you can buy the flourless cookies-- typically made with almond paste, egg whites and sugar -- the rest of the year, fresh, from local bakeries. But the packaged brands are a lot cheaper. Moreover, since I don't use the cookies 'til they start to dry out and get stale, the packaged variety more than fits the bill.
This year I haven't found a single box of the golden cookies, though I've made forays into a half-dozen supermarkets. I'll keep looking though. And you would too, if you knew how insanely good this Pear Gratin dessert is.
PEAR GRATIN
4 ripe pears (any variety...whatever smells best at the market)
1/2 cup apricot preserves, pushed through a small plastic strainer
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup coarsely chopped almond macaroons (if moist, let them dry out for a day or two before using)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus a bit to grease baking dish
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sieved apricot preserves with the white wine.
Peel, core and slice pears into thin slices.
In a food processor, chop the macaroons with a pulsing motion so they don't turn into dust.
Lightly butter a glass baking dish just large enough to hold the pears. Arrange pears in dish in overlapping rows or circles.
Pour apricot-wine mixture over pears. Scatter chopped macaroon bits. Dot with pea-sized pieces of butter.
Bake for about 25 minutes or until top is bubbly and starting to brown.
Serves 4. This is a casual recipe (meaning exact measurements are not important). Feel free to add or subtract according to taste. If you cannot find the packaged kosher macaroons in the next few days, you can always use the little Italian biscuits called amaretti (though I find that they don't produce as desirable a crumble in the food processor).
I'll be sharing this recipe when I teach a cooking class at Great News! Cooking School in Pacific Beach in August. The class menu includes my favorite recipes from 25-plus years as Food Editor and Restaurant Critic at The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Pears are over-rated, but Great News is awesome! Hope to make it to your class!
Posted by: Chefdejour | April 24, 2008 at 04:47 PM