1/2 pineapple
Oil for deep frying
Superfine sugar

Frangipane
1 cup (1/4 liter) milk
1 vanilla bean
3 tablespoons (45 ml) sugar
1/3 cup (75 ml) flour
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
2 Amaretto cookies, crumbled
2 tablespoons (30 ml) butter
1 tablespoon (15 ml) pistachios, blanched,
peeled and chopped

Batter
3/4 cup (175 ml) flour
Salt
1 (5 ml) teaspoon sugar
1 egg, the yolk separated from the white
1/3 (75 ml) cup tepid beer
2 tablespoons (30 ml) butter, melted
4 to 6 (60 to 90 ml) tablespoons water

To make the frangipane, bring the milk to a boil with the vanilla bean and sugar; let the milk cool slightly. Sift the flour into a pan, add the whole egg
and the egg yolk and stir with a wooden spoon, keeping the motion to the center so that the flour is gradually absorbed into the egg. Remove the
vanilla bean from the milk and slowly add the milk to the flour-and-egg
mixture, stirring all the time. Cook over medium heat, continuing to stir
vigorously, until the mixture becomes very thick. Remove from the heat,
add the crumbled cookies, butter, and the chopped pistachios, mix well
and let the mixture cool.
Cut the pineapple into slices 1/3 to 1/2 inch [8 mm to 1 cm] thick; cut
each slice into quarters, slice off the rind and woody core. Butter a plate, spread half the frangipane over the surface, arrange the pineapple pieces
on top in regular rows, and cover with the remaining frangipane so that
each pineapple piece is coated. Chill until needed.
To make the batter, put the flour, a pinch of salt and the sugar in a bowl,
add the egg yolk and stir in the beer, adding it at two or three intervals. Stir only until a regular consistency is achieved. Do not beat the batter. Stir in
the melted butter and enough water to bring it to the consistency of heavy
cream. Cover the batter with a plate and leave it at room temperature until needed. Just before using, beat the egg white until stiff and fold it gently
into the batter.
Heat the oil; when it sizzles at contact with a drop of batter, it is ready.
Using a spatula, carefully cut through the frangipane and lift out each piece
of coated pineapple. Drop the pineapple pieces one at a time into the batter,
lift them out and drop them into the hot oil. Do not fry too many at a time.
Carefully turn over the pineapple pieces with the tines of a fork, and when
they are golden and crisp on both sides, scoop them out with a large skim-ming spoon. Drain them on paper towels and transfer them to the folded napkin on which they will be served. When all are fried, sprinkle the
surface with superfine sugar and serve immediately.