This may look like a weird combination in an unconventional dish but I can assure you that as soon as you taste it, everything will make sense.
The strong flavor of gorgonzola cheese will balance the sweetness of the pear making a creamy and delicious risotto.
In Tuscan we have a say “Al contadin non far sapere quant’è bono il cacio con le pere” which translates in “Don’t tell the farmer how good it is cheese with pears”.
I don’t really know why we must not tell the farmer but it is an ancient “poor dish” to eat fresh Pecorino cheese with pears. When I was little I used to eat it very often cutting the cheese and the pears in small cubes and mixing them together.
Of course since it is a dessert, I could not use fresh Pecorino cheese in the risotto otherwise it would be too sweet, therefore I tried with stronger cheeses that could compensate with the peat’s sweetness.
I tried with Taleggio first and then with Gorgonzola and I think that Gorgonzola wins. But you can try also with different strong cheeses.
Pear and Gorgonzola Cheese Risotto
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time20 mins
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 150 g 3/4 cup Risotto Rice (Carnaroli)
- 1 Pear Kaiser
- 50 g 3 1/2 tbsp Gorgonzola or Blue Cheese (you can add more, depending on your taste)
- 1/2 White Onion
- 1/2 glass White Wine
- Delicate or Chicken Bouillon
- EVO Oil
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Peel and cut the pear in small cubes then quickly fry in a little bit of olive oil just until they start to brown, add a pinch of salt then set aside.
- In the same pan drizzle a little bit more of olive oil and toast the rice at medium heat for 1 minute then add the finely chopped onion and cook another 1 minute.
- Pour the white wine and let in evaporate completely, then add a couple of ladles of broth and bring the heat to low; add more broth as soon as the rice absorb it.
- Stir every once in a while to make sure the rice don't stick to the pan and coo until the rice is al dente (check the rice box for an approximate timing),
- When the risotto is nearly ready (at this point there should be almost no liquid), add the Gorgonzola cheese and let it melt; then add the pears with the butter and the Parmesan cheese and turn off the heat.
- Mix well so the risotto will become smooth and creamy then add some freshly ground black pepper on top. Serve immediately.
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