Pears and Gorgonzola are classic flavour pairings. These Pear Gorgonzola Appetizer Bites are not your classic way to use them, however. Often they are baked together in a flatbread. Or tossed in a salad. These incredibly tasty little morsels are a different way to enjoy that delicious and classic combination.
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Why Your Pears are Hard When You Buy Them
I was given a huge bag of pears, and it's been a challenge figuring out what to do with them. Did you know that pears are one of the few fruits that get harvested unripe? If left on the tree to ripen, they ripen from the inside first, so by the time the outside is soft, the pear is overripe. That's why they are always hard when you buy them in the store, and it's a good idea to plan ahead when you need pears for a recipe.
Here's a Secret to Speed Up Ripening Your Pears
My pears are still unripe a week after harvest. So to speed it up a bit, I put some in a brown paper bag. Then popped a ripe apple in there with them. Another, "did you know": apples release a ripening hormone, called ethylene, which helps to ripen other fruits around them. Nature is amazing. Viola, two days later I had pears that were the exact ripeness. I wanted them sweet, but still fairly firm for baking. For eating fresh, I would have left them in the bag for another day.
Nutritious Pears
Pears, like all raw fruits, are a great addition to any healthy diet. They're high in fiber and packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Check out the health benefits of pears on Pears: Health Benefits and Nutritional Information
These Pear Gorgonzola Appetizer Bites
I was making these Pear Gorgonzola Appetizer Bites for a gathering this Thanksgiving weekend. I was unsure of how they would turn out, so I did them a couple of days ahead of time. They turned out much better than I expected. Along with toasted walnuts, fresh rosemary, and black pepper, these little pear and Gorgonzola bites are a treat for the taste buds. In fact, we just couldn't stop eating them. So I had to make another batch.
I baked these in mini muffin tins. They are crisp and golden on the outside with a tender interior. Adding a few grinds of black pepper balanced the saltiness of the cheese. The only sweetness comes from the pears, which keep their flavour even after baking. They are delicious warm from the oven, but just as good cold. And a perfect fall-inspired appetizer. Serve them alongside fresh grapes and a selection of more cheeses.
If like me, you still have a lot of pears after making these, you can try making some delicious Pear Jelly.
Recipe
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Pear Gorgonzola Bites
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup Gorgonzola cheese crumbled
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ cup toasted walnuts chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup 2% milk or non-dairy milk, such as rice or almond milk
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 1 large egg beaten
- juice of half a lemon
- 3 medium pears peeled cored and chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° Unless using non-stick, lightly coat a mini muffin tin with cooking spray
- In a large bowl, combine flour, cheese, baking powder, walnuts, rosemary, pepper, & salt
- In another bowl combine milk, butter, egg, lemon juice, and pears
- Add the milk/egg mixture to the dry ingredients, combining quickly with a few swift strokes so as not to overmix.
- Use a tablespoon or a melon baller to fill muffin cups with batter
- Bake in center of oven 15-20 minutes until golden
- Cool slightly on a rack and serve warm, or allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge until serving
Notes
Nutrition
Debra
I followed this recipe but used regular sized muffin tins and extended the bake for 10 minutes. They were delicious, however when I make this again I’ll double the cheese or use a stronger blue because the Gorgonzola flavor wasn’t present. I’ll keep making them bigger, turns out it makes a great substitute for dressing at a holiday meal and could be made ahead of time although we loved them hot with butter and heated up the extra to gobble the next day.
Colleen
Hi Debra, I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for sharing your tweaks and feedback!