Autumn Pear, Parmesan and Walnut Salad

Autumn brings along with it the golds and yellows that are just starting to brush the hillside in front of us. It's also a time of fruitful bounty. There are so many different varieties of apples and pears in the market these days. I am especially enjoying the pears as they normally disappear mid winter as they don't hold out as long as the apples, leaving me waiting for them to come back into season. I place them in the category of favorites and love all the man places the can find their way onto the menu through out the day. One simple dish is a composed salad of thinly sliced ripe pear wedges paired with fresh slivered Parmigiano, sprinkled with toasted walnuts and all drizzled with honey. What could be simpler or tastier?


Insalata di Noci, Pere e Parmigiano

Choose ripe semi soft pears
1/2 pear per person
Parmigiano, sliced from a wedge
walnuts halves, toasted
flavorful honey, I like chestnut for it's distinct flavor, but any local variety will do

Gather all of your ingredients beforehand and just before serving.

• Peel your pears, halve

You could so this ahead and put them in a bath of lemon jusice and water to have them ready before hand ready to pull together just before serving.

• Slice pears on an angle, thinly and fan out on your individual salad plate
• Shave big slices of Parmigiano or Romano, what ever you have on hand
• Toast your walnut halves lightly in a pan on top of the stove or in the oven
• I crumble some of the walnuts over the top and garnish with a few whole halves
• Drizzle honey over all and serve. You can refrigerate for a little while, but your pear might turn brown if you prepare them too far in advance.
  

Autumn celebration on a plate!