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1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil for the farfalle. Core the pears and slice them into thin wedges. Finely mince the shallot and garlic. Crumble the gorgonzola and grate the Parmesan.
12 oz farfalle pasta,
2 piece ripe but firm pears,
1 piece shallot,
1 clove garlic clove,
5 oz gorgonzola dolce,
0.2 cup Parmesan cheese,
0.8 cup pasta cooking water
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2. Place the walnut halves in a dry skillet over medium heat and toast, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool, then roughly chop.
0.5 cup walnut halves
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3. Add the farfalle to the boiling water and cook until just al dente according to package directions. Before draining, reserve some pasta cooking water, then drain the farfalle.
12 oz farfalle pasta,
0.8 cup pasta cooking water
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4. In a large skillet, heat some butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pear slices and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly caramelized and just tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then transfer most of the pears to a plate, leaving a few slices in the skillet.
3 tbsp unsalted butter,
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil,
2 piece ripe but firm pears,
1 tsp kosher salt,
0.5 tsp black pepper
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5. In the same skillet with the remaining pears, add the rest of the butter, then the shallot and garlic. Cook over medium heat until softened and translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the white wine, bring to a simmer, and reduce by about half, 3 to 4 minutes.
3 tbsp unsalted butter,
1 piece shallot,
1 clove garlic clove,
0.5 cup dry white wine
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6. Lower the heat to medium-low, stir in the heavy cream, and warm gently until it just begins to simmer. Add the crumbled gorgonzola and stir until mostly melted into a smooth sauce. Season with a little salt, black pepper, fresh thyme, and lemon zest.
1 cup heavy cream,
5 oz gorgonzola dolce,
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves,
0.5 tsp lemon zest,
1 tsp kosher salt,
0.5 tsp black pepper
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7. Add the drained farfalle to the skillet and toss in the sauce, adding splashes of reserved pasta cooking water as needed to create a glossy, lightly flowing coating. Stir in the grated Parmesan until melted, then fold back in the reserved sautéed pears and most of the toasted walnuts.
12 oz farfalle pasta,
2 piece ripe but firm pears,
0.5 cup walnut halves,
0.2 cup Parmesan cheese,
0.8 cup pasta cooking water
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8. Off the heat, gently fold in the baby arugula just until slightly wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Serve the farfalle in warm bowls, topped with the remaining toasted walnuts and a few extra pear slices if desired.
2 piece ripe but firm pears,
0.5 cup walnut halves,
1 tsp kosher salt,
0.5 tsp black pepper,
1 cup baby arugula
By james