Pear Gorgonzola & Walnut Gnocchi
I love this with gnocchi because of the way the pillowy texture plays against the crunch of the walnuts. But if you’re out of gnocchi, any short pasta with crevices, like orecchiette or shells, would carry the sauce beautifully. I was so honored to have this recipe featured in D Magazine, and once you taste that sweet, sharp, creamy, crunchy balance, you’ll understand why it earned a little extra love.
Photo Credit to D Magazine
Ingredients
250g potato gnocchi
1 cup walnuts, toasted (reserve 1/3 cup for walnut paste)
1 Bartlett pear, peeled and grated
100g Gorgonzola cheese
1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
1–2 tablespoons walnut paste (see below)
A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
In a small food processor, blend: 1/3 cup toasted walnuts and 1 tbs of water (more as needed for texture)
In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the walnuts until golden and fragrant, about 6–8 minutes. Set aside to cool, then reserve 1/3 cup for the walnut paste and roughly chop the rest for garnish.
In a large frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the thyme leaves and grated pear and sauté for 2–3 minutes until soft and fragrant.
Stir in the cream, Gorgonzola, Parmigiano, nutmeg, and 1–2 tablespoons of the walnut paste. Reduce heat to low and stir gently until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the gnocchi and cook until they float to the surface, about 1–2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the gnocchi directly into the sauce.
Toss gently to coat the gnocchi in the sauce. Add black pepper to taste.
Serve immediately, topped with the remaining chopped walnuts and a side of lightly dressed radicchio salad for contrast.