Gorgonzola Pear Tartlets Recipes

Steps:

• Bake the pie shell in a square or round tart pan according to package instructions. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, Gorgonzola, thyme, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Using a hand blender, whip the cheeses together.
• In a large, heavy skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the pears and cook until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes.
• When the tart crust has cooled slightly, gently spread the whipped cheese mixture evenly over the bottom of the tart. Place the pear slices in a decorative pattern over the cheese mixture. Sprinkle the thin strips of prosciutto over the pears.
• Cut into squares or wedges and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a mini muffin pan generously with nonstick cooking spray.
• Set aside 12 pretty mushrooms slices. Put the rest of the mushrooms slices in a food processor and pulse until ground into small pieces, about 10 seconds. Add the Gorgonzola, flour, breadcrumbs, tarragon, basil, lemon zest, salt, pepper and eggs. Pulse until a thick paste is formed, about 30 seconds more.
• Gently roll out the puff pastry to a 10-inch square. Use a 2 1/2-inch round cutter to cut 12 rounds of dough. Poke the rounds with a fork.
• Lay 1 reserved mushroom slice in the bottom of each muffin cup. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture over the mushroom in each cup and top with a puff pastry round.
• Bake until the puff pastry is golden brown, 25 to 28 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes in the pan before inverting the tartlets. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Pre-bake phyllo shells according to package directions. Set aside to cool.
• Mix together blue cheese, pear, and cream. Season to taste with pepper. Spoon mixture into cooled shells.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Add the flour and eggs to the bowl of a food processor. Blend for 30 seconds until the mixture is sandy but holds together when pressed between your fingers. Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface. It will be crumbly, but once you start kneading, it will all come together. Gather the dough and begin to knead with the heel of your hand until it's supple and shiny, 1 to 2 minutes. If the dough feels too dry and not springy enough, add a touch of water and continue to knead until it reaches the right consistency. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Add the pink peppercorns to a small saute pan over medium heat. Toast the peppercorns until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer into a spice grinder and blend. Set aside.
• Heat a large, high-sided saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and the pear and saute, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sauteed pear to a small sheet tray to cool.
• Add the garlic and stick of butter into the same pan and gently melt over medium heat. Add the walnuts and sage. Cook the butter, swirling occasionally, until the milk solids have separated, and the butter is nutty and browned, but not burned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the apple cider vinegar, then remove the garlic and discard.
• Stir together the mascarpone and Gorgonzola dolce in a large bowl, beating well with a rubber spatula until fully combined. Add the cooled sauteed pears and 1/4 teaspoon of the toasted pink peppercorns and gently stir to combine. Season to taste with salt. Set up a pastry bag with a large round tip. Fill the bag with the mascarpone and Gorgonzola filling, then set aside.
• To roll out the pasta, cut the dough into 6 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time (keeping the others covered with plastic wrap so they don't dry out), flatten the dough with your palm. Feed the dough through your pasta roller on the widest setting. Fold the dough on either end to create an envelope, then feed through the pasta roller a second time. Fold the dough into an envelope again, decrease the pasta roller setting to make it thinner and run the dough through again. Repeat this process of folding and running through the pasta roller two times before decreasing the thickness of the roller, finishing with the thinnest setting.
• Lay the sheets of pasta on a parchment paper-lined sheet tray and cover with a damp towel while you repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
• To fill and shape the agnolotti, lay a pasta sheet on a floured board with one of the long edges closest to you. Brush the edge closest to you with water. Pipe a line of filling down the center of the dough. Fold over the top portion of the dough to meet the edge that's been brushed with water. Pinch the dough on either side of each mound of filling to seal the dough and to ensure there are no air pockets. Using a fluted pasta wheel, trim the edge of the dough where it's folded to create a clean edge. Pinch the line of filling into 1-inch mounds. Cut between each mound of filling and pinch the sides. Transfer the agnolotti to a sheet tray dusted with flour and repeat with the remaining dough sheets and filling.
• Set up a large pot of boiling water and season generously with kosher salt. Add the agnolotti and cook for 2 to 3 minutes; they will cook quickly.
• Transfer the agnolotti directly into the brown butter sage sauce and toss gently to ensure they're fully covered. To serve, plate and garnish with more ground pink peppercorns, Parmigiano-Reggiano and pecorino.

Steps:

• For the dressing: In a blender, blend together the oil, pear nectar, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, diced pear, cheese, salt and pepper until smooth.
• For the salad: Place the lettuce wedges on 4 salad plates. Arrange the avocado, pear slices, hazelnuts and cranberries around the lettuce. Drizzle with the dressing and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly brush 1 side of each baguette slice with olive oil. Place the slices on a baking sheet and toast 5 to 7 minutes, or just until beginning to brown. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and gorgonzola cheese, stirring until well mixed. Spread the toasts with the cheese mixture. Top with the pear slices and chopped candied pecans. Sprinkle with the parsley.

Steps:

• In a medium skillet, melt 2 Tbs butter over medium heat.
• Add pear slices and cook turning occasionally until golden and barely tender (8-10 minutes). Let cool.
• In a medium bowl, whisk cream cheese with the cream.
• Stir in 2 oz of gorgonzola cheese.
• Spoon the cheese mixture into the crust and spread evenly.
• Sprinkle the remaining 2 oz gorgonzola on top.
• Fan the pear slices over the cheese in a circular pattern.
• Serve at room temperature.

Steps:

• Bake the pie shell in a square or round tart pan according to package instructions.
• Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, Gorgonzola, thyme, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.
• Using a hand blender, whip the cheeses together.
• In a large, heavy skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
• Add the pears and cook until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes.
• When the tart crust has cooled slightly, gently spread the whipped cheese mixture evenly over the bottom of the tart.
• Place the pear slices in a decorative pattern over the cheese mixture.
• Sprinkle the thin strips of prosciutto over the pears.
• Cut into squares or wedges and serve.