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Pear and Blue Cheese Pasta
| Yield | |
|---|---|
| Prep time | 30 minutes |
| Recipe Tags |
Description
Pears, pecans, mushrooms and blue cheese make a sauce for whole wheat pasta. This dish tastes like fall to me. It's sweet-savory, filling, and even vegetarian, which I make up for with lots of dairy.
Ingredients
| 8 | oz | pasta |
| 1 | T | butter |
| 1⁄2 | c | Onion (minced) |
| 1 | c | mushrooms (diced. Hey look, Brian - I like mushrooms now!) |
| Salt (to taste) | ||
| 3 | asian pears (not too ripe, about 2 c chopped in 1/2" dice) | |
| 1⁄2 | c | broth (I'll be honest - I usually use chicken. Veggie works, though) |
| 1⁄4 | c | cream |
| 1⁄2 | c | blue cheese (crumbled - more to taste) |
| 1⁄3 | c | pecans (chopped in large pieces) |
Instructions
- Prepare the pasta.
- In a skillet over medium heat, toast the pecans until they're fragrant. Turn pecans out on a plate, then return skillet to heat.
- Add the butter, then once it's bubbling, saute the onions for a few minutes until they begin to turn translucent.
- Add the mushrooms, sprinkle with a little salt and saute until vegetables are soft and mushrooms have lost a lot of volume(about 5 minutes).
- Add the pears. Saute until they slightly soften, adding broth a little at a time. You want the pears to be thoroughly hot, but not falling apart, and the mushrooms to be completely cooked (about 10 minutes). Once the pears are done, you want there to be a little liquid in the pan, but not more than 1/4 c or so - either add liquid or cook longer to let it evaporate.If desired, add a T or so of balsamic vinegar.
- Splash in some cream - if you don't have it, a little milk plus another 1/2 T of butter to thicken will work.
- Add about half the blue cheese and stir until melted. Then add the rest and the pecans, and stir just to incorporate.
- Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed, then divide the pasta and top with the sauce.
Notes
All amounts are approximate, as is always the case when I make up a recipe. Adjust amounts of everything to suit. For the pasta I like whole wheat ziti - tubey pasta is better for this kind of sauce than long, skinny noodles. I think I've only ever made this with asian pears, but I'm sure it'd be fine with any fairly firm pear (don't use really ripe ones - they'll just fall apart). I added in some arugula with the cream once, and was sorry I'd done so. Waste of good arugula, as I just don't much like hot, wet greens. If that's your thing, though, toss in some spinach or other leafy material with the cream, and stir until the greens wilt.
