I found this recipe in the cookbook PRONTO! by Italian chef Gino D'Acampo. It’s so easy, elegant, and delicious! I often make it for lunch while on vacation, and it’s impressive for entertaining. I modified the ingredients and directions just slightly and added some walnuts.
Any pear works well in this recipe, and it's a good dish to make when you have too-hard pears. As Gino mentions in his recipe, once cooked and “served warm and sticky,” they are divine with salty Parma ham and creamy, rich cheese.
Prosciutto, 1-2 slices per person or as you like
2 pears (any type, hard is ok but not too ripe)
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons runny honey
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
3 tablespoons Marsala wine
Mixed greens
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Lemon dressing (about two parts olive oil to one part fresh lemon juice)
Slice of gorgonzola cheese, one per person
Walnuts (optional)
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Place the slices of prosciutto on a baking tray and bake for 5-8 minutes, until they curl and are slightly crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool and harden.
Slice the pears around the core.
Melt the 2 tbsp of butter in a frying pan over medium heat and add the pears.
Drizzle the pears with honey and add the rosemary. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the juices are thick and sticky.
Pour in the 3 tbsp of Marsala and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes. Stir occasionally, then remove from the heat and set aside.
Make the lemon dressing in a salad bowl by whisking the olive oil and lemon sauce together with a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground paper to taste.
Put the salad greens in the bowl and toss with the dressing.
Divide the salad among 4 serving plates.
Lay the pear slices on top of the salad greens and drizzle with the marsala sauce.
Place a slice of gorgonzola cheese, then prosciutto and walnuts on each plate.
Serve and enjoy!
If you prefer a more mild blue cheese, bleu D'Auvergne is a delightful option.
I don't suggest using crumbled blue cheese because it likely contains cellulose, a wood by-product used to prevent clumping. A block of cheese will be fresher and tastier.
This salad is easy to modify — skip the prosciutto for a vegetarian option, and without the rosemary or marsala wine, it's still divine.
Served without rosemary and herbed focaccia
