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1
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350u00b0F.
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2
Line a baking sheet with parchment.
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3
Whisk together egg white, sugar, and salt until sugar is completely dissolved, then add almonds, stirring until coated. Spread mixture in a very thin layer on parchment-lined sheet, spreading almonds away from center of pan.
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4
Bake until deep golden, 15 to 25 minutes. Cool on baking sheet on a rack, then break into pieces.
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5
Increase oven temperature to 425u00b0F.
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6
Halve pears lengthwise and core with melon-ball cutter or a paring knife.
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7
Spread 1 tablespoon butter on bottom of an 8-inch square glass baking dish and sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar.
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8
Arrange pears, cut sides up, on sugar, then dot pears with remaining tablespoon butter. Sprinkle remaining tablespoon sugar over pears, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon Amaretto.
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9
Roast pears, uncovered, until barely tender, about 25 minutes (sugar will harden on bottom).
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10
Add water, a pinch of salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons Amaretto to baking dish and stir (around pears) until sugar is dissolved, then baste pears with pan juices.
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11
Roast pears, basting twice with pan juices, until tender, about 15 minutes more.
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12
Serve pears, warm or at room temperature, drizzled with pan juices and topped with almond crunch.
