Roasted Prosciutto-Wrapped Pears

This recipe is perhaps a few weeks too late. It belongs at elegant dinner parties, with fizzy cocktails and sparkling lights and glamorous outfits. But we, my friends, have quickly passed that season to firmly entrench ourselves in a time of chunky sweaters, slush and many a gray sky. (Oh how quickly the excitement of a new year can fade.)

It’s officially winter, people — and not the good kind, with its carols and cocoa. I walked to work today battered by some weird mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain, soaking my boots in the process. At least I had memories of these lovely roasted prosciutto-wrapped pears in my belly to keep my spirits high. Or as high as they can be when you misjudge how big a pudddle is in the early morning darkness and land in 3 solid inches of ice water.

Finally, I’ve created a recipe I’m proud of. It’s no big feat, considering there’s only 2 ingredients (3 if you’re feeling fancy), but given my last pseudo-disaster while improvising, this dish turned out extremely well. It could be a nice fork-and-knife appetizer at a sit-down dinner, a salad, if you place the pears on a bed of sharp arugula, or as we ate it, a side dish to round out a nice meal. However you intend to serve it, be sure you do — it’s a nice reminder of “special” during a time when all seems blah.

Roasted Prosciutto-Wrapped Pears
Creates 5 bundles

– 1 large Bosc pear

– 8 pieces prosciutto, thinly sliced

– balsamic vinegar for drizzling (optional)

1) Core and slice the pear into 15 thin slivers. I quartered the pear and then cut each quarter into four slices, with only three for the last quarter.

2) Slice the broad slices of prosciutto in half lengthwise, so that you end up with 16 long, thin slices. Take 3-4 strips and lay them on top of each other, then place three slices of pear on top. Fold the ends of the prosciutto over the pears to form a bundle and twist the ends to form little bows.

3) Arrange the pears in a baking dish and roast for 10-15 minutes at 450ËšF, until the prosciutto is crispy and the pears are slightly browned. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar if desired. You can also arrange the pear bundles on a bed of arugula to form an easy, elegant salad.

[print recipe in PDF form]