PEAR AND GORGONZOLA PASTA RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Cook the pasta in a medium pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions, then drain, reserving a mugful of cooking water.
  2. Melt the cheese in a heatproof bowl above the pasta as it cooks, removing carefully when gooey.
  3. Meanwhile, slice the radicchio 1cm thick. Place it in a large dry non-stick frying pan on a high heat to char for 5 minutes, turning halfway.
  4. Peel the pears with a speed-peeler, then quarter, core and finely slice lengthways. Toss into the pan, crumble in most of the walnuts, add a splash of pasta cooking water, reduce to a medium heat and pop the lid on, then leave to caramelize slightly.
  5. Toss the drained pasta and oozy Gorgonzola into the pear pan with a splash of red wine vinegar, and a splash of reserved cooking water, if needed.
  6. Taste, season to perfection with sea salt and black pepper, crumble over the remaining walnuts and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil.

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pears and thyme; cook, stirring often, until pears have softened, about 10 minutes. Crumble Gorgonzola cheese over pears; cook and stir until melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and cool filling completely.
• Cut pasta dough into 3 equal pieces. Flatten the first piece of dough on a floured work surface; roll with a rolling pin 5 or 6 times. Turn the dough 45 degrees and roll again, 5 to 6 times. Keep rolling and turning in the same direction until dough has a consistent thickness of about 1/16-inch. Repeat with remaining 2 pieces of pasta dough.
• Gently transfer 1 pasta sheet to a floured surface and cut in half to form 2 evenly sized rectangles. Drop about 1 teaspoon filling onto 1 rectangle, spacing the filling about 1-inch apart. Brush the spaces around the filling with water.
• Lay the second rectangle on top of the first. Gently squeeze out the air around the filling and press firmly with your hands to seal the edges and all dough around the filling.
• Cut square ravioli shapes using a ravioli cutter. Transfer the ravioli to a floured plate or board. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Let the ravioli stand for about 30 minutes.
• Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil; gently add ravioli, working in batches. Cook until ravioli float to the top, about 3 minutes. Remove using a slotted spoon and transfer to a warm bowl.