Raisins add a subtle sweetness to this salad from the wine bar Enoteca l’Alchimista in Montefalco, Italy. Reconstituting the raisins in warm water before using them plumps the fruit and tenderizes it for a beautiful contrast to the crunchy, fresh ingredients in the salad. This recipe first appeared in our November 2014 issue with the story Taste of Umbria.
Find this recipe in our cookbook, SAVEUR: Italian Comfort Food
Arugula, Pecorino, Pine Nut, and Pear Salad (Rucola con Pecorino, Pignoli e Pere)
Raisins add a subtle sweetness to this salad from Enoteca l'Alchimista in Montefalco, Italy.
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup boiling water
- 3 tbsp. raisins
- 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 5 oz. baby arugula
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 oz. Pecorino Romano
- 3 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
- 1⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1⁄2 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Combine water and raisins in a bowl; let sit 20 minutes and drain. Toss lemon juice with pears in a bowl. Arrange arugula on a serving platter; season with salt and pepper. Top with pears and shave pecorino over top; sprinkle with raisins and the pine nuts. Whisk balsamic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. While whisking, slowly drizzle in oil until emulsified; drizzle dressing over salad.