Spaghetti with Pear and Walnut Sauce

Blue cheese, and walnuts....nom, nom, nom!  

This recipe is quick, easy and nearly obscene in its deliciousness.  But I guess most things which are quick and easy are usually deliciously obscene.  I used blue cheese for this recipe, but you can use any pungent cheese, such as Roquefort, Gorgonzola or Stilton.  Also, any ripe pears, save for Asian pears, will work nicely.  The absolute crux of this dish has to be poaching the pears in the wine/water mixture.  The recipe called for the use of vegetable broth, but I wanted a clean wine taste, so I skipped the broth and went with water.  The wine and the resulted poaching sauce are amazing. 

The Ingredients

8 ounces spaghetti

2 medium sized ripe pears, peeled, cored and sliced

2/3 cups water

6 tablespoons white wine

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 red onion, sliced thinly

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cups walnuts, chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3/4 cups blue cheese

The Tools

 stock pot

2 large saucepans

slotted spoon

The Cooking

 

 Cook the pasta in boiling water for 8-10 minutes on until al dente. 

Place the wine and water into a medium sized saucepan and bring to a very low gentle boil

Add the pears and lower the heat to a simmer.  Cover and allow the fruit to cook until tender, but it still retains some firmness.  

Warm the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onions and saute for about 3 minutes.  

Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds

Add the walnuts

And the lemon juice

Continue stirring as the flavors incorporate.  

Using a slotted spoon transfer the pears to the walnut mixture.  

Add about 6 tablespoons of the poaching liquid as well.  

Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheese.  

Gently stir the cheese into the sauce until well incorporated and warmed through.

Serve over the spaghetti and enjoy

Recipe Source:  What's Cooking Vegetarian

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