Peaches with White Wine

This is the essence of Italian summer cooking, the kind of dolce that takes 10 minutes to assemble and 60 minutes of unattended counter time to finish. Six ripe peaches are peeled, sliced, and bathed in a cup of dry white wine until the fruit drinks up the wine and the wine takes on the peach perfume. A spoonful of mascarpone cream goes on top and that is dessert.

The wine choice matters more than anything else here. Use a dry, fragrant white you would actually drink, an Italian Pinot Grigio, Vermentino, or a young Soave. Steer clear of overly oaked Chardonnays or sweet Rieslings, both throw the balance off.

Ripe peaches are non-negotiable, sorry, are essential. The fruit should yield slightly to the touch and smell strongly of peach when held to the nose. Underripe peaches stay starchy and never absorb the wine properly. Off-season frozen peach slices work in a pinch but lack the fragrance of fresh.

The mascarpone cream is light, not heavy. Half a cup of yogurt cuts the richness of the mascarpone, and 2 tablespoons of sugar is just enough to sweeten without burying the peach flavor. A splash of peach schnapps brings extra peach intensity but is genuinely optional.

Kitchen Tips

• Peel peaches the easy way. Score an X on the bottom, drop in boiling water for 30 seconds, then plunge into ice water. The skins slip right off.
• Slice the peaches a generous ½ inch thick. Thin slices turn mushy in the wine; thicker pieces hold their shape.
• Use chilled wine and chilled bowls. Warm wine cooks the peaches slightly and dulls the freshness.
• The dish is best assembled within 2 hours of serving. Beyond that, the peaches start to lose texture and the wine goes flat.

Variations

• Use prosecco or sparkling rose in place of still white wine for a slightly more festive version.
• Stir a tablespoon of fresh torn basil or mint into the marinating peaches just before serving for an herbal lift.
• Garnish with a few amaretti cookies crumbled over the cream for crunch and a hint of almond.