Finger food, maltagliati, risotto, cake and vanilla tart: many good ideas to serve this fried from appetizer to dessert
An entire menu based on pears? Why not? Native to western Asia and cultivated in Italy mainly in the northern regions (Emilia Romagna above all: 95% of the national demand comes from here), pears are rich in simple sugars, starting from fructose. But not only: thanks to polyphenols carry out an important action antioxidant and protect against the effects of free radicals, also giving an excellent contribution in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, among the minerals present, pears are rich in potassium, deputy to the correct functioning of kidneys and nervous system, and above all they are very good. A menu with pears from appetizer to dessert, therefore, it could be a much appreciated experiment in the kitchen by our body.
Pears as an appetizer and finger food
Simple and fast to prepare, for a first course based on pears, just wash some carefully, without peeling them, and cut them roughly into wedges, to wrap immediately in as many slices of raw ham. A little bit of cherry vinegar or honey vinegar would not hurt. For a slightly more elaborate appetizer, instead, one might think of delle small bowls with cucumbers, pears and mint with pine nuts. A finger food for all purposes for which it is necessary (for at least 4 portions) half a cucumber, a pear, half a lemon, a pinch of mint, 50 grams of pine nuts, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and a jar of natural yogurt. Pear and cucumber should be diced and sprinkled with lemon juice, while the mint should be chopped and the pine nuts toasted in a lightly oiled pan. Oil, salt, vinegar and pepper are used instead to prepare one Vinaigrette fast that will serve later. First you have to put the cubes in a salad bowl, adding the pine nuts and mint. At this point you can season everything with a bit of vinaigrette and mix gently, while to finish just pour the mixture into small cups not to fill but completely: you have to leave the space to pour the yogurt, perhaps flavored with the remaining mint.
Maltagliati and risotto with pears
Moving on to the first, a very simple one is the one with maltagliati and walnuts. Still for four people 300 grams of pasta are needed, two pears, two walnuts of butter, 4 tablespoons of cream, 100 grams of gorgonzola and another 100 of walnuts. Cut the pears into regular slices and sauté in a pan with butter. After a while the walnuts are added (chopped) and the maltagliati are poured in salted water. While the pasta is cooking, add them to the pan gorgonzola and cream. Finally, once the pasta is drained, it is left to the sauce and the game is done. Alternatively, another suggested pear based first is risotto with radicchio and cinnamon. What do we need? Considering four more people at the table, we need 300 grams of Carnaroli rice, half a head of radicchio, two pears, two walnuts of butter, half a red onion, a glass of port, a pinch of cinnamon and grated cheese and vegetable broth. The preparation takes about twenty minutes. Begin by melting the butter in a pan and browning the diced onion. Then add the rice and toast it well, blending everything with the wine and adding the radicchio shortly, until it is almost wilted. Then pour the broth and continue cooking the rice, but in the meantime you can already cut the pears a cubes. Before pouring them into the pan, melt another knob of butter and pour it out of the port. Then it's time for pears. Finally flavor everything with cinnamon and sauté the pears until they appear slightly caramelized. Whisk the rice with butter and parmesan, add the pear cubes and serve: with a first course, they will be applause for the chef.
Seconds: from salad to foil
Let's move on to the seconds. A mixed salad could be a good start for those who want to experience a complete drink-based menu. The ingredients needed for this purpose are: cheese (not too fresh), 250 grams of Roman salad, at least three ripe pears, a couple of carrots, 5 chopped walnuts, 5 tablespoons of olive oil and salt. Once well washed, the pears should be cut into thin slices, as well as the salad and carrots. The diced cheese guarantees a contrast of colors and with taste that with salt, nuts and oil will offer diners a fresh, light and inviting second just looking at it. Another second, easy and cheap, is then the paper bag with Roquefort and pears. It serves, in fact, a piece of French cheese of about 200 grams, two pears, a heart of lettuce and pepper. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, cut the pears in half (releasing seeds) and then in quarters. The cheese must be cut into eight. Then, in a dish, an aluminum sheet is spread and pears and roquefort are placed. Just let it cook for just under a quarter of an hour and finally put the bag on a serving dish: serve accompanied by the heart of lettuce and this too is done.
Desserts based on pears: there is only the embarrassment of the choice
At this point all that remains is to prepare a good final dessert. And here the options are really many. In addition to the classic cake with pears and chocolate, you could think of a beautiful one tart with vanilla. Ingredients: 800 grams of pears, water, juice and peel of a lemon, 350 grams of sugar, a vanilla bean, 120 grams of butter, three eggs, 150 grams of whipped cream, 100 of flour 00, 50 of toasted almonds, 100 grams of dark chocolate 60% and 50 grams of almond flour. First of all it is necessary to peel the pears (not all of them, two thirds are enough) and cook them in water and sugar for half an hour. Then it reduces it syrup so obtained by half and set aside; in the meantime preheat the oven to 180 degrees. At this point the butter is beaten with the remaining sugar and the eggs are added, beating one at a time. The is also added whipped Cream, two tablespoons of syrup and the flour (both 00 and almond). Furthermore we need to cut the flaked almonds, to be combined with everything else, together with dark chocolate. Then put the mixture in a baking dish and place the remaining pears whole vertically, leaving the petioles outside. Keep everything in the oven for an hour (or even an hour and a half, if appropriate) and, before serving still warm, sprinkle everything with the remaining syrup. Many will ask for an encore.
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