Pear Pies with Cheese and Walnut Sauce

 

Ingredients

 

Serve 4

• 4 soft, juicy pears

• juice of 1/2 lemon

• 7 oz/200 g frozen puff pastry, thawed

• 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten with 2 tbsp milk

Cheese and Walnut Sauce:

• 5 oz/150 g Taleggio (or Fontina) cheese

• 2 oz/60 g Gorgonzola cheese

• 10 walnuts, shelled and finely chopped

• 1 tbsp brandy

• 1 tbsp heavy/double cream

• 1/2 tsp paprika

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Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/gas 6. Peel, halve, and core the pears (leaving the stalks attached). Use a teaspoon to hollow out some of the flesh. Reserve the flesh.

2. Brush the pears with the lemon juice and place them cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Roll out the pastry to a 1/8-inch (3-mm) thick. Prick all over with a fork and cut out oval shapes a little larger than the pears.

3. Place the pastry ovals over the pears. Trim off the excess pastry, leaving enough to allow for shrinkage during cooking.

4. Shape the pastry off cuts into leaves and place next to the pear stalks. Brush the pastry all over with the milk.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Finely chop the reserved pear.

6. Cheese and Walnut Sauce: Process the Taleggio, Gorgonzola, half the walnuts, the reserved pear, brandy, cream, and paprika in a food processor or blender until pureed.

7. Spoon the mixture into the hollowed pears. Sprinkle with the remaining walnuts and serve.