Written by Brandy Centolanza
Looking for a sodium-free, fat-free and cholesterol-free snack? Then grab a pear. “Pears are a good source of vitamin C and an excellent source of fiber,” shares Judy Heidenthal, a registered dietician with Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center. “It is also only 100 calories for one medium-sized pear.” Pears are full of antioxidants, copper, iron, potassium, manganese and magnesium, folates, riboflavin and vitamin B6. Pears are the least allergenic of all fruits, which is why pear juice is often the first juice introduced to babies. There are many types of pears, including Bosc, Seckel, Forelle, Comice, Red Anjou, Green Anjou, Red Bartlett and Yellow Bartlett.
“Pears are a great accompaniment to meat dishes, especially pork,” Heidenthal says. “You can bake them, poach them, add them to meat dishes, but I think they are pretty good all on their own.”
Roasted Pear & Gorgonzola Flatbread With Prosciutto
Makes 8 Servings
Ingredients
For the flatbread
1 1/2 c. warm water
1 tsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. sugar
4 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. fine sea salt
6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
For the pears
4 ripe Bosc pears, peeled,
halved lengthwise and cored
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of kosher salt
Pinch of fresh ground black pepper
Pinch of sugar
Toppings
6 oz. gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
3 oz. prosciutto, shaved
2 Tbsp. white truffle oil
2 oz. baby arugula leaves, stemmed
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Preparation
For flatbread, combine two cups of flour, sugar and yeast in a large mixing bowl, add warm water and allow to sit overnight in a warm, dry area; this becomes the sponge. Combine remaining flour, salt and rosemary and stir to combine. Combine sponge, flour and rosemary mixture and two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, then knead to dough. Let sit until double in size, then punch down. Divide dough into eight equally-sized balls and refrigerate until ready to use. Preheat grill to medium to high heat. Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thick ovals and brush generously with olive oil. Grill on one side, with the lid closed, until golden brown with some charred edges (about three minutes) then carefully flip the dough and continue to cook until golden brown on the bottom, about two more minutes. Set aside until all flatbreads are grilled. For pears, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine pears with the olive oil, salt, pepper and sugar and stir to combine. Place pears on oiled baking sheet and roast until just al dente (firm), about 10 minutes, then remove from oven and allow to cool. Pears can be made one day in advance and refrigerated. When ready to assemble, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Thinly slice the roasted pears and divide onto the flatbreads. Tear the prosciutto and lay over the pears, top with the gorgonzola, and roast in the oven until the cheese is just melted. Remove from the oven and top with the arugula. Drizzle the white truffle oil and the balsamic vinegar over the dish and serve.
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Vanilla Spiced Caramel & Pear Tart
Makes 10 Servings
Ingredients
1 sheet all butter puff pastry dough, thawed
For pears
1.5 oz. unsalted butter
1/2 c. sugar
1 cinnamon stick
Pinch of kosher salt
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
6 large Anjou pears peeled,
halved lengthwise and cored
2 oz. unsalted butter
Filling
2 oz. unsalted butter
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 cinnamon stick
1 whole star anise
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg
Pinch of kosher salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1 egg white, whipped
Preparation
Roll pastry dough into a 12-inch circle, place in a 10-inch spring form pan and press into the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the sides. Place in freezer until ready to use. For pears, melt butter in large pan over medium-high heat. Add sugar, cinnamon and salt and stir to combine. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean and cook the sugar mixture, stirring often, until sugar melts and just begins to caramelize, about three minutes. Add the pears, round side down, and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue to cook, moving the pears around regularly, until almost tender, about 15 minutes. Turn pears over and continue to cook until pears are very soft, about five minutes, remove from heat and allow to rest while making the filling. For filling, melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean and add the bean. Add the cinnamon and star anise and cook, stirring often, until butter just begins to brown, about three minutes. Remove vanilla bean and star anise, set aside. Whisk the sugar, egg and salt in another bowl, then add the flour and stir to combine. Slowly stir the brown butter mixture into the flour mixture. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush puff pastry crust with beaten egg white. Pour filling into crust and spread over the bottom. Carefully arrange pear halves onto filling, reserving the liquid from the pan for after baking. Bake until filling is just set, about 50 minutes, remove from oven and drizzle the reserved liquid from the pear pan over the dish. Allow to cool and serve.