Mattia Camorani's endive, pear and gorgonzola salad
Recipe: Endive, pear and gorgonzola salad
When it comes to dining in Cucina, I want to offer guests a space where they can feel totally relaxed, and I often choose to create dishes that are uncomplicated, and comforting. This is what Italian cooking is at its heart when you have the right ingredients to hand. A light salad is an ideal starter for any authentic Italian menu which will feature pasta and a rich sauce. Nothing quite says “taste of Italy” like a pasta dish, and there are all kinds of styles and shapes available to try. Put down the supermarket penne and pay a visit to your local Italian deli or artisan retailer to see what is on offer. They will always have something a little different so you can give your dishes that special twist.
Adding fruit to a starter is a perfect technique for creating a light, colourful spring dish. This salad is a classic but a favourite – the sweet taste of the pear and the rich flavour from the blue cheese are perfectly finished off with the nutty texture of the walnuts. It’s the ideal starter for any dinner party as it is so simple, yet looks beautiful on the plate.
Ingredients
- 2 yellow endive
- 2 pears
- olive oil
- salt and black pepper
- 40g walnuts
- a splash of white wine vinegar
- 40g Gorgonzola
Serves: 4 Difficulty: Easy Time to cook: 20 mins
Method
1 Remove the outer leaves of the endive so there are about 4 per person, and set aside. 2 Finely slice the remaining endive, then peel and finely slice the pear. 3 Dress the endive leaf with olive oil, salt and black pepper, than arrange them on a plate. 4 Assemble the pear, sliced endive and walnuts on a plate then dress with olive oil, salt, black pepper and a little drop of white wine vinegar. 5 Finish with some sliced gorgonzola on top.