Working over a bowl to catch the juices, halve and seed the pears.

Use a small spoon to scoop out some pulp from each half to enlarge the cavity left by the seeds.

Add the pulp to the bowl with the pear juices.

Add 1 cup amoretti crumbs to the bowl along with the sugar, yolks, and vanilla.

Mix well to form a wet paste.

Mound the filling into the cavity of each pear half and compact the filling with your fingers until smooth.

Grease a shallow baking dish with the softened butter.

Arrange the pears cut side up in dish.

Cut the remaining butter in to 8 pieces and dot each pear with one piece of butter.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cookie crumbs over the fruit.

Bake 40 minutes, until pears are soft and filling begins to brown.

Remove and cool slightly.

Serve warm with vanilla gelati.