From appetizer to dessert, here are some pear recipe ideas for every course.
Pears as an appetizer or finger food
For a simple and easy-to-make first course based on pears, start by washing the pears carefully without peeling them. Then slice them into wedges and wrap them in as many slices of prosciutto as you want. A little cherry vinegar or honey wouldn’t hurt, either. But for a more elaborate appetizer, you could also make single serving cups with cucumbers, pears, pine nuts and mint. A finger food in all respects – for which you’ll need (to make at least 4 servings): ½ cucumber, ½ lemon, a pinch of mint, 2 oz pine nuts, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and a cup of natural yogurt. Dice the pear and cucumber; then sprinkle with lemon juice. Chop the mint and toast the pine nuts in a lightly oiled pan. For a quick vinaigrette dressing, combine oil, salt, vinegar and pepper. To assemble the cups, add the pear and cucumber to a salad bowl with the pine nuts and mint. Mix to combine. Then toss the ingredients gently with the vinaigrette dressing. Pour into single-portion cups, but don’t fill them all the way. Leave some space for some flavored yogurt!
Maltagliati and pear risotto
Speaking of starters, a very simple first course with pears is maltagliati and walnuts! To make 4 servings, you’ll need the following ingredients: 11 oz of maltagliati pasta, 2 pears, 2 tablespoons of butter, 4 tablespoons of cream, 4 oz gorgonzola and another 4 oz walnuts. Slice the pears and saute them in a pan with butter. After a while, add the walnuts (chopped) and pour the maltagliati in salted water. While the pasta is cooking, add the gorgonzola and cream to the pan. Finally, once the pasta has been drained, stir it into the sauce and you’re done! Alternatively, you could make a pear risotto with radicchio and cinnamon. What’s needed to make it? For four people: 11 oz carnaroli rice, half a head of radicchio, two pears, two tablespoons of butter, half a red onion, a glass of port wine, a pinch of cinnamon, grated cheese and vegetable broth. It should take about 20 minutes to make. Start by melting the butter in a frying pan and browning the diced onion. Then add the rice and toast it well, pouring in wine and adding the radicchio shortly afterwards, until it is almost wilted. After that, pour in the broth and continue cooking the rice, but in the meantime cut the pears into cubes. Before pouring them into the pan, melt another tablespoon of butter and pour in some port. Then it's time for the pears. Finally, season everything with cinnamon and sauté the pears until they appear slightly caramelized. Turn off the heat, add the butter and Parmigiano Reggiano and the pear cubes and stir to combine. (This step is called ‘mantecare’ in Italian.) With a first course like this, you’ll impress the whole family!
Main courses: from salad to cartoccio
Onto main courses! A mixed salad is a great start if you’re looking to experiment with a complete menu based on drinks. You’ll need the following ingredients: cheese (not too fresh), 9 oz romaine salad, at least 3 ripe pears, 2 carrots, 5 chopped walnuts, 5 tablespoons of olive oil and salt. Once washed well, cut the pears, salad and carrots into thin slices. The diced cheese will provide a contrast of colors and flavors which, together with the salt, nuts and oil, offers your diners a fresh, light and inviting second course, even just from the looks of it! Another easy and economical second course is the cartoccio with gorgonzola cheese and pears. You’ll need about 7 oz gorgonzola cheese, 2 pears, one head of lettuce and pepper. Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C), cut the pears in half (removing the seeds) and then into quarters. Cut the cheese into 8 pieces. Then lay a sheet of aluminum foil inside a baking dish; lay the pears and gorgonzola on top. Bake for a little less than 15 minutes and transfer the foil to a serving dish. Serve with lettuce.
Dessert with pears? So many options!
At this point, all that’s left is dessert! And here, the options are endless. In addition to a classic chocolate and pear cake, you could also make a nice crostata with vanilla. The ingredients are as follows: 2 lbs of pears, water, the juice and peel of one lemon, 12 oz sugar, one vanilla bean pod, 4 oz butter, 3 eggs, 5 oz whipped cream, 4 oz type “00” flour, 2 oz toasted almonds, 4 oz dark chocolate (60%) and 2 oz almond flour. Start by peeling the pears (not all of them; two-thirds is enough). Cook the peeled pears in water and sugar for half an hour. Then reduce the syrup by half and set aside; in the meantime, preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). At this point, beat the butter with the remaining sugar, followed by the egs (one at a time). Add the whipped cream, 2 tablespoons of syrup and flour (both type “00” and almond). Thinly slice the almonds; add the almonds and dark chocolate to the mixture, stirring to combine. Pour the batter into a baking dish and place the remaining whole pears vertically in the center, stems removed. Bake in the oven for an hour (or an hour and a half if necessary). Before serving warm, drizzle the crostata with the remaining syrup. We’ll be surprised if you don’t want seconds!