Pear Walnut Ricotta Pie Food

PEAR, WALNUT, AND RICOTTA CROSTINI

Steps:

• Divide ricotta cheese among crostini. Top each piece with several ripe pear slices and some walnut pieces. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle each with honey. Serve immediately.

RICOTTA PEAR DESSERT

Steps:

• Core pear from bottom, leaving stem intact. Cut in half vertically. Slice pear, but not all the way through, leaving slices attached at the stem. , In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese and 1 teaspoon honey. Place pear halves on dessert plates; fan slightly. Spread ricotta mixture over pear slices. Drizzle with remaining honey; sprinkle with walnuts. Serve immediately.

PEAR, WALNUT & RICOTTA PIE

Steps:

• To prepare the pear, walnuts, ricotta pie start peeling the four pears, preferably ripe, take away the central core and cut into small pieces. Put them in a bowl along with the chopped walnuts and with very little lime juice to prevent discoloring.
• Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C (325 degrees F). In a large bowl, beat with a whisk (or a planet) sugar with ricotta. Add 3 eggs one at a time and continue beating the mixture.
• Add the grated lime zest.
• Sift the flour with the baking powder and add to the mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon until you get a smooth dough. If needed, use the whisk. Stir in pears and walnuts with 'any sauce that had formed and mix well.
• Pour into a cake pan with parchment paper.
• Now bake the cake at 160 C (325 F) for 50/60 minutes, until introducing a toothpick in the center of the cake, these will be dry. In case the cake you were to darken too much on the surface during cooking cover with aluminum foil.
• Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool, put it on a serving plate and if you wish sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

PEAR, WALNUT & BLUE CHEESE TART

Steps:

• To make the pastry, blitz the walnuts in a food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs. Add the flour and a large pinch of salt. Pulse briefly to combine, then add the butter and pulse until it resembles large crumbs. Add the egg yolk and pulse until the dough comes together (add 1 tbsp cold water if it seems dry). Squash the dough into a disc, then wrap in baking parchment and chill for at least 30 mins.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 5. Heat the butter and 1 tbsp oil in a heavy-based frying pan or skillet over a medium heat, and cook the shallots, sage and chard stalks for 5-8 mins until soft and starting to caramelise. Add the chard leaves and continue to cook until wilted, then remove from the heat.
• Put the chilled pastry between two sheets of baking parchment and roll out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use it to line a 20cm tart tin, then chill for 30 mins until firm. Toss the pear slices in 1-2 tsp oil on a baking sheet.
• Scrunch up a sheet of baking parchment and use it to line the pastry case, then fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 mins, alongside the pears. Remove both from the oven. Remove the parchment and beans from the pastry case, then bake for 8-10 mins more, until the bottom is golden and crisp.
• Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl, then season with some nutmeg and whisk in the crème fraîche. Stir in the cheese. Pour half the mixture into the tart case, then layer in two-thirds of the chard mixture. Arrange the roasted pear slices and remaining chard mix on top, then pour over the remaining custard. Dot over the walnut halves, then bake for 28-30 mins, or until golden and cooked through. Leave to cool for 20 mins, then slice and serve.

ITALIAN SWEET RICOTTA PIE (REDUCED SUGAR)

Steps:

• Blend eggs with Nature Sweet, beat in half & half, vanilla, and cornstarch until smooth. Add ricotta and blend well. Fold in pineapple and pour filling into pie crust. Dust with cinnamon.
• Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325 degrees and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the filling slightly puffs, turns golden and is set - meaning it should be firm, not jiggly when you gently move the pie plate from side to side - a little soft in the center is desired.
• Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

WALNUT PEAR PIE

Steps:

• Make the sweet walnut pie pastry as for short-crust pastry using the egg yolk and as much water as needed (see recipe below), working the ground walnuts and cinnamon in with the flour. Chill for 30 minutes or until firm.
• Roll out two-thirds of the dough and line the pan with it. Peel, core and quarter the pears and arrange them in a cartwheel pattern in the pan. Cover the center with slices of the remaining pears. Roll out the remaining dough to around the same diameter as the top of the pan. Using a cutter, cut a circle out of the center of the round leaving a ring.
• Brush the edge of the bottom pastry layer lightly with water. Lay the ring on the pears and press the edges firmly onto the bottom layer of dough. Brush the ring with water and sprinkle with the sugar. Chill for 10 to 15 minutes, so the pastry is firm. Meanwhile set the oven to 350 degrees.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is well-browned and the pears are tender. Unmold the pie and serve warm. Just before serving, pour the whipped cream into the center.