Sep 10, 2010

Baked pears with gorgonzola and honey recipe

The quirky flavor combination of cheese and honey is recently very much in style on Italian dinner tables. I have adapted that to the ancient Italian maxim that reads Al contadino non far sapere quant'รจ buono il formaggio con le pere (don't let the farmer know how tasty his pears are, eaten with cheese–intending that once he finds out, he won't share his pears with you).

This 10-minute marvel will gratify your tastebuds and have you imploring il contadino for more.

4 large Williams (aka Bartlett) pears
200 g (2 cups) sharp Gorgonzola
1 oz fluid honey
Pine nuts, lightly toasated

Heat the oven at 200° C (390° F).

Blanch the pears by soaking them in boiling hot water for 2 minutes, then cut them in half, and scoop out about 1/2 inch of the central pulp, to remove seeds.

Place pear halves on a greased cookie sheet flat face up, and cover them evenly with thick, messy slices of sharp Gorgonzola.

Bake pears in the oven for a few minutes, or until the cheese has fully melted, and begins to bubble slightly.

Carefully transfer on a serving platter and drizzle with warm honey and garnish with toasted pine nuts. Serve with bold red wine as a prelude to robust meat courses and hefty lasagna, or simply as a restoring midnight tonic.




One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. 
–– Luciano Pavarotti





19 comments:

  1. OMG, I can't breathe that sounds so delicious.

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  2. This blend sounds fabulous!
    Thank you for sharing :)

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  3. this sounds like a wonderful combo...cheese and fruit go great together...in the right combo...

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  4. Sounds like heaven to me... have loved honey on cheese since I was a wee young thing...

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  5. Sounds yummy, I used to make a "dessert" like this, with gorgonzola circle in the middle of a platter, surrounded by pears drizzled with honey, and caramelised walnuts.
    Unfortunately, I can't eat cheese, so only savoured the visual elements of it!

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  6. Roseann~ it does take your breath away, I agree!
    CChuck~ Happy you enjoyed.
    Brian~ The sharper the cheese the better, because the acidity/juice of the pears and the sweet sweet honey balance it all out!
    Owen~ I didn't doubt that, gourmand friend!
    Mimi~ Oh no... you don't eat cheese!!! How difficult that must be!!!

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  7. I have just died and gone to heaven!!!!!!!!!
    I'm forwarding this to all my cooking friends who ever invite me over - it has to be on everyone's menu.

    xx

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  8. Love cheese and honey. This simple dish sounds good. I will try it to see if it beats the best cheese/honey combination I have ever had so far, i.e. pecorino di fossa with honey...

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  9. Janet~ Oh my gosh, another fellow cheese fetishist! I love you
    Tuscan foodie~ Pec di Fos & honey is divine, but have you ever had it with marmellata di cipolle rosse (red onion chutney)? Epic.

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  10. My mouth is watering after reading that! Like some kind of boxer dog...

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  11. so simple and yet so utterly extravagant.......this is a gem, eleonora -- thank you for posting this.

    and i love the pavarotti quote - as i'm always waiting for the next meal, ain't it the truth!

    xoxo

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  12. I am so boring - dripping honey onto my goat cheese. When I have Gorgonzola sitting there waiting to be honeyed.

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  13. Oh shoot! I am reading this so late in the evening....that I cannot run out and buy said pears or cheese.....but I have honey and that's a start! I will do this tomorrow....I am drooling....smiles.

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  14. Lovely blog, so glad I came across it. We have pears ripening in our back yard and I will definitely try this combination.

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  15. Excellent blog! Great pictures and food!
    Italian food always at top, easy, tasty, premium!

    Congratz... here's my food blog if you wanna visit:

    http://cucharaoriginal.blogspot.com

    Grazie!

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  16. Gina~ si, amore... are you back?
    Alexia~ how was the party? ;)
    Amanda~ I'm happy you alla gree with me on this one!
    Claudia~ And you know what else marries (slightly more aged) cheese? Trational BALSAMIC VINEGAR from Modena!
    Emom~ Oh, no! Survival rule #1: Always have gorgonzola on hand!
    KarenG~ Lucky lucky you! Thank you for your words.
    Afner~ Grazie! I will stop by asap!!

    Ciao

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  17. Sounds divine! And how about a few toasted, they must be toasted, walnuts on the side?

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  18. Dana~ thank you for your visit. Yes, indeed walnuts. Mandatorily toasted. I usually drop a couple handfuls in a large mason jar and then drizzle warm honey over them so they steep in it... decadent!

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