Roasted Nectarine Mess With Pistachio Dukkah

By Yotam Ottolenghi

Updated June 12, 2026

  • Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Media 1 of 3
Ready In
1 hr 15 min
(45 min, plus 30 min cooling)
Rating
5(38)
Comments
Read comments

Nectarines are the unsung heroes of stone fruit season — sweeter than apricots, less fussed-over than peaches — and here, their sweetness works particularly well against the anise of the tarragon. A little heat is all they need: roasted, they turn jammy and release all their juices. The sweet dukkah — a mixture of pistachios, fennel seeds, tarragon and lime — is worth making more than you need; it's also good over yogurt or scattered over a fruit salad. Peaches work just as well if that's what you find first.

Featured in: How a Missing Ingredient Led Yotam Ottolenghi to a Breezy Summer Dessert

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

    or to print this recipe.

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

For the Roasted Nectarines

  • 4 to 5 nectarines (about 1 pound), halved and cut into ½-inch-thick slices 

  • ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon/75 grams granulated sugar 

  • 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped and both seeds and pod reserved 

  • 2 limes, thinly shaved for 6 strips of zest, plus 2 tablespoons lime juice 

  • 2 large fresh tarragon sprigs, plus a few leaves for serving 

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to serve

  • 3 tablespoons water 

For the Sweet Dukkah

  • ¼ cup/25 grams salted, roasted pistachios

  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 

  • 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves, roughly chopped

  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted in a dry skillet and lightly crushed 

  • 1 lime, for ½ teaspoon finely grated lime zest, plus wedges for serving 

For the Ricotta Cream

  • 1 cup/250 grams ricotta 

  • 1 cup/250 milliliters heavy cream 

  • ¾ cup/75 grams powdered sugar 

  • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

  • 3 cups/50 grams store-bought meringue cookies, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

64 grams carbs; 68 milligrams cholesterol; 498 calories; 9 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 26 grams fat; 1 gram trans fat; 3 grams fiber; 115 milligrams sodium; 7 grams protein; 53 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 350 degrees. 

  2. Step 2

    Make the nectarines: Combine the nectarines, granulated sugar, scraped vanilla pod (you’ll use the seeds later), lime zest strips, tarragon sprigs and olive oil in a rectangular 3-quart baking dish. Add the water and place in the oven for 25 minutes, gently stirring halfway through, until the nectarines are tender and have released their juices. Add the lime juice and set aside to cool to room temperature, 30 to 45 minutes. 

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, make the dukkah: In a mortar (or the small bowl of a food processor), combine the pistachios, granulated sugar, tarragon, fennel seeds and grated lime zest. Pound with a pestle (or blitz in the food processor) to a rough crumble. 

  4. Step 4

    When ready to serve, make the ricotta cream: Add the ricotta, cream, powdered sugar, salt and reserved vanilla seeds to the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a handheld mixer) and whip to medium-soft peaks, about 1 minute.

  5. Step 5

    To serve, spread the cream out onto a large serving platter and crumble over half the meringues. Spoon the cooled nectarines and their jammy juices on top, crumble over the rest of the meringues, then sprinkle with the dukkah. Finish with a few tarragon leaves, a good squeeze of lime and a drizzle of olive oil.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

5 out of 5
38 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Marcia

Oh yes, Mr. Ottolenghi, there is a paean to nectarines--from Mel Brooks as the 2000-year-old man: Fruit kept me going for 140 years once when I was on a very strict diet. Mainly nectarines. I love that fruit. It's half a peach, half a plum. It's a helluva fruit, it's not too cold, not too hot. Just nice. Even a rotten one is good. That's how much I love 'em. I'd rather eat a rotten nectarine than a fine plum, what do you think of that? https://www.nytimes.com/1975/03/30/archives/oooooooooboy.

M. Morgan

This is the most delicious dessert I have ever made. My dinner guests raved. I found lovely organic nectarines at the grocery and the roasted fennel seeds and tarragon added so much flavor and were creative additions. Love this dessert!!!!

Delicious and Easy And Does Not Need Bacon!

He said to purchase them. I personally would make them, there are lots of recipes. @Kelly

cricketp

Who removed vanilla pod, tarragon leaves and strips of lime zest from nectarine before serving? They seem large and too much for a single bite??

Maria

How many hours in advance can I make the ricotta cream? I'm bringing it to a party.

kinbk

My 1st comment here bc this was THAT delicious--and unusual. So, first off, I did not make the whole ricotta/merengue combo. The first night, we ate the roasted nectarines and dukkah over vanilla ice cream. After that I had some with plain greek yogurt and, surprisingly, I liked that even better--probably because the tang of the yogurt played well with the lime. And I used the last bit this blistering hot morning to top off my cold overnight steel-cut oats. Swoonable, all the ways!

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.