Gorgonzola And Pear Focaccia Recipes

HOMEMADE PEAR AND GORGONZOLA RAVIOLI

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pears and thyme; cook, stirring often, until pears have softened, about 10 minutes. Crumble Gorgonzola cheese over pears; cook and stir until melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and cool filling completely.
• Cut pasta dough into 3 equal pieces. Flatten the first piece of dough on a floured work surface; roll with a rolling pin 5 or 6 times. Turn the dough 45 degrees and roll again, 5 to 6 times. Keep rolling and turning in the same direction until dough has a consistent thickness of about 1/16-inch. Repeat with remaining 2 pieces of pasta dough.
• Gently transfer 1 pasta sheet to a floured surface and cut in half to form 2 evenly sized rectangles. Drop about 1 teaspoon filling onto 1 rectangle, spacing the filling about 1-inch apart. Brush the spaces around the filling with water.
• Lay the second rectangle on top of the first. Gently squeeze out the air around the filling and press firmly with your hands to seal the edges and all dough around the filling.
• Cut square ravioli shapes using a ravioli cutter. Transfer the ravioli to a floured plate or board. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Let the ravioli stand for about 30 minutes.
• Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil; gently add ravioli, working in batches. Cook until ravioli float to the top, about 3 minutes. Remove using a slotted spoon and transfer to a warm bowl.

SWEET WHOLE WHEAT FOCACCIA WITH PEARS AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Make the sponge. Combine yeast and water in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and stir to dissolve. Whisk in sugar and flour. Cover with plastic wrap and let proof in a warm place until bubbly and doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.
• Make the dough. If using a stand mixer, whisk together yeast and water in a small bowl and let stand until creamy, a few minutes. Add to sponge in the mixer bowl with sugar and olive oil. Add flours (including cornmeal) and salt and mix in with the paddle attachment for 1 to 2 minutes, until ingredients are amalgamated. Change to the dough hook and knead on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes. Dough should come together and slap against the sides of the bowl. It will be slightly tacky. To make dough by hand, combine yeast and water as directed and whisk into the sponge with sugar and olive oil. Whisk in all-purpose flour. Add salt, cornmeal and whole wheat flour, one cup at a time, folding it in with a spatula or a wooden spoon. When you can scrape out the dough, add flour to the work surface, put dough on top and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft and velvety. Return to bowl (coat the bowl lightly with olive oil first).
• Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Shape the focaccia. Coat a 12-x 17-inch sheet pan (sides and bottom) with olive oil. Line with parchment and flip the parchment over so exposed side is oiled. Turn dough onto the baking sheet. Oil or moisten your hands, and press out dough until it just about covers the bottom of the pan. Dough may be sticky. Cover with a towel and allow it to relax for 10 minutes, then continue to press it out until it reaches the edges of pan. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm spot for 45 minutes to an hour, or until dough is full of air bubbles.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees after 15 minutes of rising (30 minutes before you wish to bake), preferably with a baking stone in it. Combine rosemary and olive oil for the topping in a small pan and heat just until herbs begin to sizzle. Wait 30 seconds, swirl the oil in the pan, then pour mix into a ramekin or a small measuring cup. Allow to cool.
• With lightly oiled fingertips or with your knuckles, dimple the dough, pressing down hard so you leave indentations. Place walnut pieces in the indentations. Distribute pears evenly over dough and drizzle on the oil with rosemary (you will have to distribute clumps of rosemary that remain behind in the cup with your fingers). Combine remaining tablespoon of sugar and the cinnamon, and sprinkle evenly over pears and dough.
• Place pan in oven on baking stone. Spray oven 3 times with water during the first 10 minutes of baking, and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until edges are crisp and top is golden. If you wish, remove focaccia from the pan and bake directly on the stone during the last 10 minutes. Remove from oven, remove from pan at once and cool on a rack. If you want a softer focaccia, cover with a towel when you remove it from the oven. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PEAR & GORGONZOLA CROSTINI

Steps:

• Halve and core the pears, then cut each one into 12 small wedges. Place in a heavy-based saucepan with the honey, port and wine. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until the pears are just tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife (they shouldn't be soft).
• Carefully tip the pears into a sieve set over a small saucepan and allow them to drain thoroughly.
• Reduce the liquid in the saucepan by two-thirds - it should have a syrupy consistency like runny honey. This will take 10-12 minutes. Pour the syrup into a small bowl and allow to cool while you prepare the bruschettas.
• Preheat the grill to hot. Cut the bread into 24 slices and brush both sides of each slice with olive oil. Grill until the bruschettas are golden on both sides. This only takes a minute, so keep watch.
• Spread each bruschetta with a little gorgonzola and top with a poached pear wedge. Arrange the bruschettas on a serving plate and drizzle with the port syrup using a teaspoon. Sprinkle over a little mustard and cress.
• Prepare ahead: you can poach the pears the day before and serve them cold - they're just as nice. Take them out of the syrup and reduce, then store the pears and syrup in separate plastic containers in the fridge. If the syrup is too thick the next day, add a little warm water, and if it is too thin, you can reduce it by simmering for a minute or two.

ROASTED ROSEMARY-GORGONZOLA PEARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Cut thin slice from rounded side of pear halves, if necessary, so they'll rest level in pan. In 13x9-inch pan, arrange pear halves, cut sides up. Brush tops of pears with oil; sprinkle with salt, pepper and rosemary.
• Roast uncovered 15 minutes. Fill cored hollow of each pear half with 2 teaspoons cheese. Roast uncovered 10 to 15 minutes longer or until pears are tender and cheese is soft. Sprinkle with walnuts. Drizzle with additional olive oil if desired.

GORGONZOLA PEAR PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the penne in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes; drain.
• Return the drained pasta to the pot; stir the butter, Parmesan cheese, and Gorgonzola cheese into the pasta and place over medium heat; cook until the cheese is completely melted. Pour the cream into the pasta mixture; stir. Remove from heat and fold the pear into the pasta mixture. Top with walnuts. Season with pepper to serve.

FIG FOCACCIA WITH GORGONZOLA CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Roll out dough on work surface to 12x9-inch rectangle. Sprinkle 1/4 cup dried figs over center third of dough. Fold left side of dough over figs. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup dried figs. Fold right side of dough over second layer of figs to cover. Using rolling pin, gently flatten dough to 12x7-inch rectangle; place on baking sheet. Arrange fig slices atop dough. Sprinkle with Gorgonzola cheese, then sugar and ground black pepper. Bake bread until golden brown and cheese melts, about 25 minutes. Serve bread warm.

PEAR & GORGONZOLA SALAD

Steps:

• To make Vinaigrette------------------.
• Mix vinegar, salt, mustard in a blender or food processor.
• Very slowly pour in the oil while processor is on.
• Process until an emulsion forms.
• Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Add shallots& pepper.
• Best to make it fresh but may be stored for a few days in the fridge.
• ---Salad-----------------------.
• Toss greens with most of the vinaigrette.
• Divide among 4 plates.
• Decorate with pear slices and crumbled cheese.
• Coarsely chop the walnuts and put on top of salad.
• Drizzle the last of the vinaigrette over top.