If you're new to my blog, this is my only condition - of course I have no way of checking - but if you do try out one of my recipes, you are to feed one (or more) hungry person. Let it circulate.
Tonight's recipe was suggested by a friend. Actually she suggested Raviolis with pears, which I had never tried before. So that got me curious, and I searched around and came up with my own version. I say my own version because I have no time to make raviolis, so I settled for linguine instead. Linguine is spaghetti like but flat. If you don't have linguine use Tagliatelle.
You might say - what ? pasta with pears ? don't judge before you try it out. It is one of the most succulent combinations I have had in my life. Besides it's the pears season, so why not get a little imaginative ?! And it is so EASY to prepare.
For two you will need :
- 250 grams of linguine pasta
- 2 preferably hard pears
- about 4 branches of FRESH Sage. leaves only.
- half a cup of fresh cream (I use half cream because otherwise it would get a little too heavy with all the cheese)
- a tablespoon of olive oil (the traditional recipe suggests butter -again that would make it way too heavy and you don't want clogged arteries)
- about half a cup of Gorgonzola cheese ( I found a ready mix of Gorgonzola and Mascarpone which was delicious - so if you can find that mix opt for that one otherwise stick with Gorgonzola alone)
- about half a cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
- a small handful of Walnuts
- pepper and salt to taste (remember the cheese is already salty so you may want to take it easy with the salt)
Preparation:
- peel pears and cut them in vertical slices, and then again in two - like small thick sticks. (this is not a lesson in geometry so don't fret OK ?)
- in a large deep non stick pan, put the olive oil and the slices of pears, until the pears are GOLDEN.
- once done, remove pears and keep aside
- in that same pan, add sage leaves (if they are large - cut in two) and cook them for one minute.
- add cream, pieces of Gorgonzola plus Parmesan cheese and let it cook/simmer for another 5 to 7 mn or so, on a gentle fire, you don't want that to boil. Keep stirring gently until the cheese melts into the cream.
- now put your pears with its juice (if any) into that lovely creamy sauce and let it cook for one more minute.
TIP: Check amount of sauce, you can always add more cream and cheese if you feel it will not be enough to cover your whole pasta
Meanwhile - Pasta preparation.
- place linguine in boiling water with salt and a drop of olive oil, until cooked.
- drain them
- add them to your sage and pear sauce
- throw in your hand crushed walnuts
- mix well so that all the pasta is covered with the sauce. Covered in sauce NOT drowning in sauce
- leave to simmer for a couple of minutes.
Serve hot and decorate with a sage leaf and a couple of walnuts - and pray for me because you will LOVE it!
And here's a little Italian music to accompany you.
