Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Place a rack in the middle position of the oven. (If you’d like to use an air fryer, skip this step and see the note below.)

Use a sharp knife to cut into the first peach in a vertical circle (assuming the peach has its stem end pointing straight up), cutting down all the way to the pit. Grasp the peach in both palms, applying pressure gently and evenly as you carefully twist the two halves apart like you’re opening a jar. Use a knife to scoop or surgically slice the pit out of the half where it remains.

Prepare a foil- or parchment-lined baking sheet. Spray a thin layer of oil onto the lining and place the peaches on it, cut-side-up. When the oven is preheated, place the sheet of peaches on the middle rack. It will take 30-40 minutes to cook the peaches. Rotate the baking sheet 180 degrees within the oven after the first 15-20 minutes.

Combine the maple syrup and miso in a small bowl. Stir well with a fork to integrate them as best you can. (Skip this step if not using miso.)

Heat the oats and pecans in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Toast them for the next 10 minutes, until the oats have been lightly browned. Stir the oats and nuts frequently to prevent them from burning and do your best to keep them in a single layer in the pan to ensure even toasting.

Add the maple-miso mixture to the skillet, using a silicone scraper to get all of the syrup. Stir well. Add a generous sprinkling of salt at this point if you are not using miso. Continue to toast, stirring frequently until the granola becomes crunchy, 7-10 minutes, at which point you should transfer the granola to a bowl and set it aside. Reduce the heat to medium-low if the granola starts to smoke or scorch at any point.

Remove the peaches from the oven once they’ve become tender and withered on the surface.

You can either serve the peaches hot or let them cool (see note). Scoop a serving of ice cream for every two peach halves and sprinkle a quarter of the granola over each. Serve immediately.