The availability of pears in the UK depends on the variety of pear, but generally, pears are in season late summer to late winter, with peak season from September to November... making now the perfect time to try this pan-fried gnocchi with spiced pears and blue cheese. No kidding, I've made it on three occasions for friends over the last five weeks, to bring you the best iteration... and because I simply could not gate-keep it!
We recently discovered Sunny And Luna's incredible gnocchi too, it's 50% cauliflower making it deliciously lighter than the usual potato filled affair. Egg free, no preservatives or additives and packed with fresh cauliflower - it's slightly nutty in flavour and pairs absolutely perfectly (see what we did there...) with the ingredients in this meal. An easy show-stopper, the flavours do the talking. Treat yourself, and or a loved one, to this autumnal meal 🧡.
Method
To make the spiced pears:
Slice and dice the pear into 1cm cubes. Melt a tbsp of butter in a non stick pan and add the pears and cinnamon. Toss frequently and cook for 8 - 10 minutes, they should soften but not turn mushy. Once ready, leave to the side.
To make the gnocchi:
Melt another tbsp or so of butter into the pan. You can use the same pan as before, to soak up fruity flavours. Add the (room temperature!) gnocchi to the pan and stir, to coat in butter. If it looks like it needs a bit more, add another knob, or some oil - or even a splash of water to stop things sticking - remember though, you do want a crispy edge. Fry until the pieces are turning golden, then add the chunks of pear and stir together.
Remove from the heat. Roughly chop up the blue cheese into similar sized chunks to the pear, and toss a few through just before serving. You want to get this time right, so they start to melt a little but still retain some shape.
So serve swiftly, with a glass of crisp, fresh white wine - or whatever takes your fancy.
