In my grandparent’s house dessert was usually a piece of fruit, that we picked fresh from the trees in the yard. Quite often it was eaten with a bit of cheese, especially aged cheese. It’s a great way to end a meal and I have carried out that tradition in my own home. Fruit and cheese are a delicious combination, and one of the best fruits to eat with cheese is pears. In fact, the combination is so good that there is an old Italian saying “Al contadino non far sapere, Quant’è buono il cacio con le pere” which means, don’t let the farmer know how good cheese is with pears! The idea being that, if the farmers knew, they’d keep all the cheese and pears for themselves!
There are a variety of aged cheeses that go well with pears. Parmesan is a classic and was the preferred choice of my grandparents. One of my favorites is Gorgonzola. Personally, I would avoid cheeses that are either too mild like fontina, which would not provide sufficient contrast with the subtle sweetness of the pears, or too sharp, like Pecorino Romano, which would overwhelm the pears. On the other hand, a Pecorino Toscano, firm but with a creamy texture and a rich nutty flavor with a slightly tangy finish would be exquisite.
The addition of walnuts (a healthy choice) complements both cheese and pear. The eggplant, perhaps an unexpected combination, is totally delicious and the final drizzle of a good honey is the kiss of perfection.
I serve it as a primi piatti (first course), as it is light and always (although initially surprising to some) well-received by all.
Ingredients:
- Eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- Fresh Bosc pears (or your favorite), peeled
- Parmesan cheese
- Walnuts, toasted
- Honey (I use Blackberry)
- If the weather is warm, I grill the eggplant outside, when it’s too cold outside I roast it in the oven. To roast, lightly oil a baking pan with some olive oil and then place the eggplant slices in a single layer. Drizzle with more olive oil and then sprinkle with sea salt. Roast in a 375*oven for 30 minutes until tender. Set aside.
- To assemble, simply arrange cooked eggplant slices on a plate, top with slices of pear and a few shavings of Parmesan (using a vegetable peeler to get paper-thin slices). Scatter several walnuts on the plate and drizzle with your favorite honey. Serve at room temperature. Savor every bite!
