Gorgonzola Dolce, Caramelized Onion and Pear Gnocchi
It’s officially Fall and I cannot be more excited! This past Summer in Florence was quite intense, that these crisp mornings lately had me dreaming of autumn dishes I wanted to make. Not to mention all the autumn veggies appearing at the farmer’s market I was so excited to see. Things like porcini, mushrooms, pumpkin, cauliflower, artichokes, pomegranate ... .so many recipes to dream up!
I love sweet and savory flavor combinations, and creamy pasta when there is crisp weather. This recipe in particular is for blue cheese lovers specifically. Gorgonzola Dolce DOP is a creamy, Italian blue cheese from Northern Italy. It’s not as intense as other blue cheeses, quite delicate, sweet and salty all at the same time. It’s the perfect blue cheese to melt right into pasta.
I love contrasting flavors that together combine to make magic. Slowly caramelizing onions, adding seasonal pan seared pears, pillowy gnocchi and melting the Gorgonzola Dolce creates such a magical bite.
I highly recommend you make a fresh batch of gnocchi, but I won’t judge if you want to use store bought.
Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think of this sweet & savory combination.
Gorgonzola Dolce, Caramelized Onion & Pear Gnocchi
Serves 4
Ingredients:
150 grams Gorgonzola Dolce DOP
1 blonde onion, sliced
1 pear, peeled, cored & diced
EVOO
Salt to taste
Method:
Slowly caramelize the sliced onion over low heat for about 30 minutes. You want to stir pretty often so the onion doesn’t get crispy. They will slowly change color to a deep golden as they caramelize but still stay soft. Once they are caramelized, remove from the pan, and set to the side.
Add the gnocchi to a pot of boiling water and give them a stir. Immediately add the pear to the pan where the onions were and saute while the gnocchi cook. As soon as the gnocchi floats to the top, add the caramelized onions back to the pan and shut off the heat. Drain the gnocchi, reserving some pasta cooking water, add the drained gnocchi to the pan and stir adding splashes of cooking water until you have a nice glossy, starchy sheen.
Finally add dollops of the Gorgonzola Dolce until it melts into the gnocchi for the perfect sweet & savory bite
