This Pear Gorgonzola Walnut Spaghetti combines the perfect fall flavors with the sweetness of pear, the sharpness of Gorgonzola, and the crunchiness of walnut for a comforting classic Italian recipe.
The creaminess of this pasta and the combination of perfectly balanced flavors make it ideal for a weeknight dinner or even when you have company over.
Why you will love this recipe
– Suitable for vegetarians, only requires 5 ingredients and takes just 30 minutes to make.
– This is a classic Italian recipe that is very popular in the autumn season.
– It is very easy to prepare: no special tools or tricks, just a pot and a pan!
Gorgonzola, Pear, Walnut Spaghetti Ingredients and Variations
Pasta: I find this recipe tastes best with long shaped pasta like linguine or spaghetti. But some short pasta shape like fusilli could work well too.
If you like fresh pasta, fettuccine, gnocchi or pappardelle are also great.
Gorgonzola: Gorgonzola cheese is named after a town in Lombardy in northern Italy. It is a blue-veined cheese whose origins date back to the XI century. Gorgonzola is a crumbly cheese made from cow’s milk, and its veined texture depends on its aging process. It usually takes 50 days for a cheese to be called Gorgonzola.
There are 2 types of “zola”: dolce and piccante, meaning “sweet” and “spicy”, with the difference coming from the aging process. Dolce zola is aged for a shorter period of time (about 50 days) and has a creamier texture and a slight herbal flavor. Piccante zola, on the other hand, is matured for longer (about 90 days), is more crumbly and has a sharper taste. Choose dolce for this recipe as it will melt easier than the piccante.
You can substitute it with any other variety of blue cheese such as Stilton or Roquefort. If the sharpness of blue cheese is too much for you or if you serve it to children, a great option is goat cheese, its milder flavor still pairs exceptionally well with pears.
Walnuts: Walnuts elevate the flavor of the cheese, as their nuttiness pairs well with the creaminess of the cheese. You can replace the walnuts with pecans, which are a little chewier, or hazelnuts.
Pears: Among the 3000 varieties worldwide, it’s quite complicated to figure out which ones are best for baking, eating raw, in salads, or just poaching. Some of the most popular varieties are: Anjoy, Asian pears, Burtleet, Bosc or Comice. Some pear are best for salad, some others for cooking.
Which pear should I choose for this recipe?
For this recipe you should use Bosc, but let’s learn more about the best pears to use for each recipe.
Bosc: Use these pears when you want to cook them! Whether whole, halved, sliced or chopped, this variety will hold its shape when cooked. They are also delicious raw in salads!
Anjou: they can be green or red, are very juicy and are ideal for eating as a snack or for cooking.
Asian Pears: they are crisp and crunchy, less grainy and soft. In terms of texture and shape, they are very similar to apples. more like an apple. They are great in salads.
Williams or Burtlett: the juiciest and softest pears! They are great for enjoying, but not for cooking if you want to preserve the texture of this fruit. Use them for pear sauce!
Comice: They are almost a cross between Bosc and Anjou and their texture is finer than the other pears. Eat them raw!
How to make Gorgonzola, Pear, Walnut Spaghetti
1. Bring a large pot filled with water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add sea salt.
2. Meanwhile, wash and dry the pears – you will need 3 – and cut it in half. Cut 2/3 slices from each half. Then cut the pear in half and remove the core. Squeeze some lemon so they do not get too dark. Peel and slice the rest of the pears and cut them into half inch cubes.
3. Add 2 tbsp of oil to a pan and gently fry the pear slices until they are lightly browned, take them out and pat them on kitchen paper. Add a little salt to taste. Wipe the oil from the pan, add 3 tbsp of butter and the pear cubes. Let them cook slowly a few minutes.
4. Throw the pasta into the boiling water and cook until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, melt slowly the gorgonzola into the same pan where you have the pear cubes. Before draining the pasta, preserve a few tablespoon of pasta cooking water.
5. Toss the pasta into the pan and mix. Add 2 tbsp of cooking water and saute 2 more minutes. Arrange the pasta on a plate and serve the roasted pears on the side of the pasta. Add some walnuts, parsley and some crushed black pepper. Serve it!
MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES FOR YOU
EASY SMOKED SALMON MASCARPONE LINGUINE
PAN-FRIED BREADED CHICKEN BREAST (ITALIAN)
GORGONZOLA, PEAR & CHICKEN SALAD WITH HAZELNUT AND BALSAMIC GLAZE
Serving Suggestions
Serve this recipe after some appetizers like grape goat cheese bruschetta, olive ascolane and Italian green salad. If you are making it for a special occasion, you can serve a tiramisu for dessert.
Which wine to pair with this recipe?
A Mueller Thurgau from South Tyrol is a good choice. Its floral and citrus notes balance the richness of the cheese and the mild taste of the pear.
A great red wine would be Nebbiolo from Piemonte.It has a delicate flavor but strong tannins, so it pairs well with this recipe because you need a rich, creamy sauce to go with this wine that can absorb the lush tannins.
Ingredients
- 2/3 pound spaghetti
- 3 tsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 ¼ cup pear chopped in cubes
- 12 slices pear
- 1 1/2 cup gorgonzola dolce chopped in cubes
- 2 tbsp walnuts chopped
- 4 tsp parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot filled with water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add 2 tablespoons of coarse sea salt.
- Meanwhile, wash and dry the pears – you will need 3 – and cut it in half. Cut 2/3 slices from each half. Then cut the pear in half and remove the core. Squeeze some lemon so they do not get too dark. Peel and slice the rest of the pears and cut them into half inch cubes.
- Add 2 tbsp of oil to a pan and gently fry the pear slices until they are lightly browned, take them out and pat them on kitchen paper. Add a little salt to taste. Wipe the oil from the pan, add 3 tbsp of butter and the pear cubes. Let them cook slowly a few minutes.
- Throw the pasta into the boiling water and cook until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, melt slowly the gorgonzola into the same pan of the pear cubes. Before draining the pasta, preserve a few tablespoon of pasta cooking water.
- Toss the pasta into the pan and mix. Add 2 tbsp of cooking water and saute 2 more minutes. Arrange the pasta on a plate and serve the roasted pears on the side of the pasta. Add some walnuts, parsley and some crushed black pepper. Serve it!
Nutrition
Molto invitante e gustoso