What shall I do with those pears?

Every time we go grocery shopping, my kids ask for fruit: bananas, pears, apples... but once the fruit is safely home, noone wants to eat it. They sit on the kitchen counter until they are forgotten and slowly start to perish. This time I managed to save some pears, well, sort of  ^__^
I really enjoy preparing a risotto, as well as eating it, in fact I think I actually prefer it way more than pasta.
It's not the first time I combine pears with rice or pasta and especially with cheese.
This risotto is a perfect choice if you are looking for a bit unusual, but elegant and delicious starter. It is basic and simple in taste, but yet so refined and tasty. Beautifully scented Williams pears are particularly adapt for this dish. And sage, on the other hand, makes a great combo with pears.
All you need is a right occasion to prepare it (and with the holiday season so near, that shouldn't be a problem), and I'm sure your guests will be positively surprised and enjoy it.
But if you are simply looking for something delicious to lift up your spirit after being stuck at home with kids for days, and can't do anything else but stare at gloomy weather outside, I'm sure noone will blame you for making it through food, perhaps something different from the usual chocolate bar.


Williams Pears and Sage Risotto


(4 servings):
2 Willims pears
320 grice (arborio ili carnaroli) 

 200 g crescenza cheese (soft-gooey, fresh Italian cheese)

 8 sage leaves

 1/2 glass dry white wine 

 2 shallots

about 1 l vegetable stock 

 1/2 glass dry Marsala wine 

 30 g butter

 40 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese 

  salt and pepper

Peel and core one pear (choose the ones that are still firm, because these pears tend to get too soft when very ripe). Cut it into cubes.

Chop the shallots finely and saute in a casserole with 20 g of butter, and 2 sage leaves (cut finely), adding a small ladle of hot vegetable stock as well, until soft.

Add the rice to the casserole and toast stirring for 2 minutes.

Add the pear cubes, pour in the white wine and let evaporate. Start adding the hot vegetable stock, gradually, about 1/2 a cup at a time, stirring  occasionally and being careful not to let the rice dry out.

In the meantime, while the risotto is cooking, slice the other pear (don't peel it, just core it) and put it in a skillet with the remaining 10 g of butter and the remaining sage leaves. Saute until the pears are golden, add the Marsala wine and cook until it's evaporated completely. Add a little freshly ground pepper, and set aside.

When the risotto is cooked al dente, but still "wavy" (don't let wait until it's completely absorbed the stock), remove from heat, add the crescenza and the grated parmigiano cheese. Stir well and energetically - in this way the cheese will melt and the rice will release the starch leaving your risotto creamy.

Cover and let rest for 2-3 minutes.

Plate the risotto and decorated with the Marsala glazed slices of pear.

Risotto con pere William e salvia
- da Cucina Moderna Oro - grandi piatti con il riso


(per 4 persone):
2 pere Williams
320 g riso (arborio ili carnaroli) 

 200 g crescenza 

 8 foglie di salvia

 1/2 bicchiere di vino bianco secco 

 2 scalogni

 circa 1 l di brodo vegetale 

 1/2 bicchiere di Marsala secco

 30 g di burro 

 40 g di parmigiano o grana 

  sale e pepe

Sbucciate una pera, eliminate il torsolo e riducete la polpa a piccoli dadi.

Sbucciate la cipolla, tritatela finemente insieme a 2 foglie di salvia e fatela stufare in una casseruola con 20 g di burro e un mestolino di brodo.

Unite il riso, tostatelo a fiamma alta per 2 minuti e aggiungete i dadini di pera. Irrorate con il vino bianco caldo e lasciatelo completamente evaporare. Portate a cottura il risotto, unendo poco brodo bollente alla volta.

Mentre cuoce il risotto, rosolate la seconda pera tagliata a spicchietti (senza sbucciarla) con il burro e salvia rimasti. Quando š ben dorata, bagnatela con il Marsala. Fate completamente evaporare il vino e spolverizzate gli spicchi di pera con una macinata di pepe.

Spegnete il fuoco sotto il risotto, regolatelo di sale e pepe, incorporate la crescenza a pezzetti e il parmigiano (/grana) grattugiato.

Mescolate e lasciate riposare per 2-3 minuti.

Servite il riso nei piatti e decorate con i spicchi di pera dorati.

Rižoto s kruškom Viljamovkom i kaduljom


(za 4 osobe):
 2 kruške Viljamovke

320 g riže (arborio ili carnaroli) 

 200 g sira crescenza (svježi mekani sir)

 8 listića kadulje

 1/2 čaše bijelog suhog vina

 2 glavice ljutike (ili 1/2 glavice običnog crv. luka)

 oko 1 l povrtnog temeljca

 1/2 čaše vina marsala (suhog)

 30 g maslaca

 40 g naribanog sira (Grana ili Parmigiano)

  sol i papar

Ogulite jednu krušku i izdubite središnji dio sa sjemenkama, pa je narežite na kockice.
Sitno nasjeckajte luk i popržite ga u dubljoj posudi s 20 g maslaca, 2 sitno nasjeckana listića kadulje, dadajući i jednu žlicu toplog temeljca, dok ne omekša.
Dodajte rižu omekšalom luku, popržite 2 minute na jakoj vatri stalno miješajući. Dodajte na kockice narezanu krušku i 1/2 čaše bijelog vina. Pustite da vino ispari, a zatim dodajite po malo (po 1 grabilicu) temeljac, često miješajući dok riža nije kuhana al dente (za arborio i carnaroli to je 16-18 minuta.
Dok se rižoto kuha, narežite drugu krušku na kriške (ne gulite je, samo izdubite sredinu sa sjemenkama). Zagrijte u tavi preostalih 10 g maslaca s preostalim listićima kadulje i na njemu popržite kriške kruške. Dodajte Marsalu i pustite da potpuno ispari. Dodajte kruškama malo svježe mljevenog papra.
Kad je riža kuhana, maknite posudu s vatre. Nemojte sasvim osušiti rižu. Treba ostati al onda, tj. valovito, što znači da treba ostati još malo tekućine, koju će riža svejedno kasnije upiti, ali će vam rižoto biti kremastiji. Dodajte crescenzu narezanu na komadiće i naribani sir. Izmiješajte sve energično da se oba sira istope. Dotjerajte okus - dodajte soli i papra po ukusu, pokrijte i ostavite da odstoji 2-3 minute prije posluživanja.
Rasporedite rižoto u tanjure i ukrasite kriškama kruške.


BILJEŠKA: Ako vam crescenza nije dostupna, zamijenite je nekim drugim sirom. Kruške se odlično slažu s pecorinom (odaberite svježi ili polutvrdi).