I have a love-hate relationship with pears. When they’re ripe and sweet, they might just be my favorite autumn and winter fruit. But I can’t remember the last time I bit into a pear like that. Where I live they’re hard and tasteless when you bring them back from the store, only to turn mealy a few days later. And still tasteless. So disappointing, especially when you think of just how delicious a pear can be.
But here’s a way to bring some flavor and interest to even the wannest of supermarket pears: pere al forno con gorgonzola e noci. Pears are split in half, lightly macerated to coax out their natural flavor and baked in the oven to soften them and concentrate that flavor. They’re filled with gorgonzola cheese and walnuts—a classic pairing with pears in Italian food culture—and then finished with a drizzle of sweet honey.
If you’re lucky enough to be working with properly ripened pears, pere al forno con gorgonzola e noci makes an absolutely superb dessert. But even if you have to make do with underripe supermarket pears, you will still have an elegant one that’s very much worth eating.
Ingredients
Serves from 4 to 8, depending on appetites
- 4 pears
- 2 Tbs sugar, or as much as you need
- 1 lemon
For the filling:
- 80g (3 oz) gorgonzola dolce
- 8 walnut halves (or more if you like)
To finish the dish:
- honey, q.b.
Directions
Trim off the stem of each pear, then cut it in half from top to bottom.
Using a paring knife or a small spoon, remove the core and its seeds, creating a small well in the center of each half pear.
Place the pear halves in a baking dish lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle them with sugar and a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Let the pears macerate for about 15 minutes, at least until the sugar melts.
Bake the pears in a moderate (180C/350F) oven for 20 minutes or so, until tender but not falling apart. (The exact baking time will vary, depending the size and shape of the pears and on how ripe they are.)
Take the baking dish out of the oven and place a good sized knob of gorgonzola cheese in the well of each half pear, then top with a walnut half or two.
Return the pears to the oven and continue baking just long enough to melt the cheese, perhaps 5 minutes.
Remove the pears from the oven and let them cool. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature, drizzled with honey.
Notes
You can make pere al forno con gorgonzola e noci with any kind of pear you like. Just make sure it’s not too ripe or it will turn to mush as it cooks. If you’re working with those rock hard supermarket pears, let them ripen just a day or two then they’ll be ready for this recipe, even if they still don’t seem ready for eating.
The brief maceration in sugar and lemon juice is a very common way to prep fruits for a macedonia aka fruit salad, among other dishes. As noted in the intro, it begins to soften the fruit and draws out its natural flavor. Surprsingly, you won’t taste the lemon’s tartness at all. The sugar melts into the lemon and the fruit’s own juices to form a kind of light and intensely fruity sauce. This is not part of the usual recipe, but a little “trick” I’d recommend if your pears aren’t the best. If you’re lucky enough to be working with ripe, tasty pears, then you can go ahead and skip this step.
You can peel the pears as well if you wish, but I don’t usually bother. In fact, I find the peel provides some insurance the pear will retain its shape during baking.
As for the gorgonzola, you’ll want young dolce type for this dish, not the sharp gorgonzola piccante. Heat accentuates the taste of blue cheeses and, while you do want a nice contrast with the pear’s sweetness, a sharp gorgonzola would just be too overwhelming, in my opinion. For the same reason, I hold off filling the pear until the last few minutes of baking, even if in some recipes you fill the pear from the start.
Cooking tips
Lining the baking dish with parchment paper is optional, but it will help with clean up. Juices drip off the pears as they bake and tend to burn on the bottom of the baking dish. No big deal but why not save yourself some trouble?
As indicated in the recipe, baking times can vary quite a bit depending on the fruit and how ripe it is. And how soft you like your pears. Recipes for baked pears can call for as little as 15 minutes to as long as an hour. Test for doneness by prodding a pear half with a paring knife after the first 15 minutes or so. For this dish, you want the fruit to be fork tender but not falling apart.
Variations
While gorgonzola pairs splendidly with pears, of course you can opt for some other cheese of your liking. I would go for another creamy blue cheese—Saint Agur comes to mind—as it provides a nice contrast, but a Brie or Camembert would also work. You can also substitute other nuts for the walnuts; hazelnuts or pecans would be partciularly nice alternatives.
The honey topping is optional, but I think balances the dish beautifully with a final note of sweetness. (And again, it helps in the flavor department if your fruit is less than excellent.) If you like, you can opt for another sweet topping. North Americans could go for a drizzle of maple syrup, for example. Or agave syrup. And going in a very different direction, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar wouldn’t be amiss, if you ask me.
If you want to veganize the dish, just omit the cheese. In that case, you can take the recipe in a sweeter direction, sprinkling the pear with some cinnamon and/or nutmeg before baking.
Pere al forno con gorgonzola e noci
Ingredients
- 4 pears
- 2 Tbs sugar or as much as you need
- 1 lemon
For the filling:
- 80 g 3 oz gorgonzola dolce
- 8 walnut halves or more if you like
To finish the dish:
- honey q.b.
Instructions
- Trim off the stem of each pear, then cut it in half from top to bottom.
- Using a paring knife or a small spoon, remove the core and its seeds, creating a small well in the center of each half pear.
- Place the pear halves in a baking dish lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle them with sugar and a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Let the pears macerate for about 15 minutes, at least until the sugar melts.
- Bake the pears in a moderate (180C/350F) oven for 20 minutes or so, until tender but not falling apart.
- Take the bakinig dish out of the oven and place a knob of gorgonzola cheese in the well of each half pear, then top with a walnut half or two.
- Return the pears to the oven and continue baking just long enough to melt the cheese, perhaps 5 minutes.
- Remove the pears from the oven and let them cool. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature, drizzled with honey.
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I love pears! Not only do they taste good, but they are one of my favourite drawing/painting subjects. These ones look yummy!
Thanks, Cristina!
I feel the same way about pears, so much potential, yet so often disappointing straight from the store.
Alas…
Frank, I have been in love with pears, gorgonzola and walnuts forever. This is is such a great ending to a meal without being “too much” .
Agree, the supermarket pears often have a lot to be desired. Harvested way too underripe, and tasteless by the time they hit the supermarket. This is a fantastic way to bring so much heavenly flavor to this autumn fruit.
Thanks, Velva! Totally agree. I usually end my meals with a piece of raw fruit and nothing more. But when I’m feeling a bit indulgent something like this is my go to.
Oh I totally know what you mean about sad pears. We’ve had good luck this season so far, but you never know when that luck will change. In the meantime, I will absolutely be making this recipe – that flavor combination is making my mouth water just thinking about it!
Thanks, David! Enjoy those pears while they last…
Just gorgeous!
Thanks, Mimi!
You are right about the pears we get these days . I remember way back when I was a child we had a pear tree in our yard. I don’t know what kind. They were rock hard and little and put on trays in the cellar after the harvest. Around Christmas they had all shriveled. But they ended up being the juiciest and tasty pears ever.
I will try your recipe.
Wonderful memories, Gerlinde! Where have all the good pears gone?
This sounds like a wonderful way to dress up homely pears to make an elegant dessert. I’ll practice on supermarket pears and be prepared when the box of Harry & David pears we are gifted every year arrives.
Those should be fabulous made this way, though I had to admit I’ve had similar issues with H&D pears in the past. Perhaps just bad luck?
Mm my comment vanished! Just saying we have the same probs with pears – hard and tasteless then mushy. So sad!
sherry https://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/
It’s there. Was just sent for moderation. Not sure why, perhaps the link in your comment triggered the moderation feature.
This sounds great Frank, but i know what you mean about the pears. The same here – they are hard and tasteless and just go mushy after a bit. Very disappointing! But i bet your dish is not disappointing.
cheers
sherry https://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/
I hope not… sorry to hear you’ve got the same dilemma. But then misery does love company. 😉
I do love pears for dessert but I have to confess Frank, my poached pears are nothing compared to your baked pears. The pears, walnuts and cheese here are such an amazing combination of flavours. They look so elegant too!
Thanks, Neil! And I’m sure your poached pears are just as delicious. 🙂
Pears poached in red wine have been a firm favourite as long as I have been cooking but yours look way, way more inviting at the moment . . . cheese, nuts and honey … cannot wait to try . . .
I love pears poached in red wine as well! Perhaps even better than this, but variety, as they say, is the spice of life.
The American Canon is coming to lunch tomorrow and I’m cooking oxtail. Sadly someone is bringing pudding, otherwise I would heve made your Pere al forno con gorgonzola e noci, which looks delicious!
Thanks MD! By the way, pardon my ignorance but you’ll need to enlighten me on the meaning of the “American canon”. Curious to know…
He’s the Canon (from America) at the Lanherne Monastery Catholic Church in Cornwall (UK) and a very good friend of my step mother. I have been at home for the week and have been doing a lot of cooking, including 3 large Empanadas de Atún, for the Sisters.
Ah yes, that kind of canon! Enjoy.
While not as beautiful as yours, Mark and I often have pears, Gorgonzola, and honey for dessert. We’ll have to add the nuts! Like you, there is nothing more disappointing than a mushy or unripe pair. In the autumn, Trader Joe’s brings in Harry and David Comice pears. it is one of the culinary highlights of the year! Next time they’re in, I will definitely try your recipe. By the way, it’s getting harder and harder to find good Gorgonzola dolce here in Tucson — do you have any suggestions for substitutions?
I’ll have to go looking for those, David. Thanks for the tip. As for substitutions, as mentioned in the notes, I really like Saint Agur, another creamy blue albeit not Italian and a tad sharper than gorgonzola dolce.
Pears, walnuts, and blue cheese are such a wonderful combination of flavours – and presentation is elegant, too. I’d also sprinkle with a bit of fresh thyme to enjoy a great dessert or maybe even a light meal.
Yes, a great combo. I make a gorganzola cream sauce with pear slices and chopped walnuts that I serve over pasta.
The thyme sounds like a lovely touch, Ben. I didn’t mention it in the post but there are Italian recipes where you lay a sprig of thyme on the pears during baking then remove it. It adds a subtle aroma.
What an easy yet fabulous dessert!
Thanks Angie!
Sounds delicious. For some reason, supermarket (Publix in Florida) pears this fall have been better than usual – both bartlet and bosc. At Christmas I gifted a box of “Royal Riviera” pears, sold by a well known mass market company. This year’s were wonderful. I am gifted a box every year. Last year’s were mealy and rather insipid. Expensive dang pears too!
Lucky you, Jim! I’ve also been gifted expensive pears that turned out just as tasteless as the supermarket variety. That was extra disappointing. I wonder if there’s any way to game out this “lottery”…