Pear Crumble with Ginger and Almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray 1 quart 8x8" baking dish or cast iron skillet with vegetable spray and set aside.

MAKE THE CRUMBLE TOPPING:

1. Place the flour, sugar, kosher salt, ginger and butter into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal.
2. Transfer to a bowl and with your fingers, work the mixture, squeezing to create a lumpy, crumbly texture.
3. Add the almonds and toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to top the crumble.

FOR THE PEAR FILLING:

1. Peel the pears and halve them with a sharp knife. Cut the halves in half again and remove the core using a melon baller. Cut out the tough stem. Chop the pears into bite sized pieces.
2. Transfer pears to a large bowl and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Add the minced ginger and toss together. Sprinkle the pears with cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. In a small bowl, mix the water and cornstarch together to form a slurry. Pour over the pears and toss to coat the pears with the slurry and spices. Transfer the pears to the prepared baking dish.

BAKING THE PEAR CRUMBLE:

1. Liberally sprinkle the almond topping over the pear filling. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour until the fruit is tender, but not mushy and the topping is a warm, golden color.
2. If the fruit is tender, but the topping is pale, place it under the broiler for 4-5 minutes to get a little color. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla or a drizzle of cream.