TORTINO DELLA VALLE GRANA ( POACHED PEARS WITH RADICCHIO AND CASTELMAGNO CHEESE)
Serves: 4
■ 2 heads radicchio
■ 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
■ Fine sea salt
■ 2 tbsp (30 ml) unsalted butter
■ 3 pears in syrup (recipe follows),
■ drained and each cut into 3 or 4 pieces
■ 1 tsp (5 ml) saffron threads
■ 8 oz (225 g) Castelmagno cheese
■ (see note), crumbled
1. Cut the radicchio head into quarters. Cut out and discard the core from each quarter and cut the quarters into bite-size pieces.
2. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the radicchio and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
3. In the same pan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the pears and saffron and cook until hot and coated in butter, about 2 minutes.
4. Place a ring mould in the centre of an individual serving plate. Make a layer of radicchio, using a spoon to press everything into place, then add a layer of pears. Remove the ring gently so nothing falls out of place and scatter the crumbled cheese on top. It is important to serve this dish as hot as possible so the cheese melts on top of the pears.
Note: If you can't get Castelmagno cheese, replace it with a tasty blue cheese that crumbles well, such as Stilton.
PEARS IN SYRUP
Makes: 6 pears
■ 6 ripe Madernassa pears (see note)
■ Juice of 1 lemon
■ 3 whole cloves
■ 3 cups (750 ml) sugar
■ 1 cinnamon stick
1. Peel and halve the pears. Core the pears to hollow out a nice round shape in the centre of the fruit.
2. In a saucepan large enough to contain the pears, combine the pears, 2 cups (500 ml) water, the lemon juice, cloves, sugar and cinnamon stick.
3. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the sugar has completely dissolved, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and let cool. Stored in an airtight container with their syrup, the pears will last up to five days in the refrigerator.
Note: You can use any type of pear here.