Big Salad with Cheese, Pear, and Walnuts

The big salad with cheese, pear, and walnuts is a fresh and simple dish, perfect for a light lunch or as a rich appetizer. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• Mixed salad greens (lettuce, arugula, radicchio, etc.), about 150 g
• 1 firm but ripe pear
• 100 g of soft cheese (gorgonzola, goat cheese, or another as preferred)
• A handful of shelled and chopped walnuts
• Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
• Balsamic vinegar or lemon juice, to taste
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Acacia honey (optional), to taste

Preparation

1. Wash and dry the salad leaves well. Put them in a large bowl or on a serving dish.
2. Cut the pear in half, remove the core and any hard parts, then slice it or dice it, according to your preference.
3. Add the pear slices or cubes to the salad.
4. Cut the cheese into pieces or flakes and distribute them over the salad.
5. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts over the salad.
6. Dress with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar or lemon juice, salt, and a grind of fresh pepper. If you like, you can add a touch of sweetness with a drizzle of acacia honey.
7. Gently mix all the ingredients before serving to ensure that the flavors blend well.

Curiosity

The combination of pear and cheese is a classic of Italian culinary tradition, particularly appreciated for its balance between sweet and salty. The crunchy note of the walnuts adds texture and enriches the dish with flavor and nutrients.

To make it even more Italian, you might choose traditional local cheeses, such as gorgonzola, famous for its spicy streak that wonderfully contrasts with the sweetness of the pear.