Baked Pears with Ricotta Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best cooking method for pears? ›

The simplest and possibly the nicest way to cook pears is to poach them – simmered gently in a light syrup and favoured with vanilla. These can then be presented as a bowl of fruit with cream or as individual pears in the style of the classic Poire Belle Hélène with ice cream and chocolate sauce.

If using pears with a firm skin like Bosc, peel them. Otherwise, leave the skin on. Cut the pears in half lengthwise, leaving the stems on for visual presentation if desired.

With so many varieties available on the market, it can be tough to choose which pears work best for baking. We recommend using Bartlett, Bosc, and Anjou pears. These varieties have the highest volume and are widely available in grocery stores year-round.

If you're using the pears for cooking, underripe pears are actually what you need. They will hold their shape better whether poached, baked, or braised. If the pears you have are soft and almost mushy, don't discard them! They are best for cooking into a pear sauce.

Slice The Pears

Place the pear on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice the pear in half vertically from the stem to the bottom. Next, cut each half in half again vertically to create quarters. Lay the quarters flat side down and angle the knife to cut diagonally to remove the core.

This is known as enzymatic browning. Keep cut fruits, such as apples, pears, bananas, and peaches from turning brown by: Coating them with an acidic juice such as lemon, orange, or pineapple juice. Use a commercial anti-darkening preparation with fruits, such as Fruit-Fresh®*, and follow the manufacturer's directions.

As with any fruit, the best way to eat a pear is to eat the whole thing. The skin is where most of the nutrients are, particularly the fiber and antioxidants. That said, be sure to wash it thoroughly before you eat it.

Yes, dogs can eat pears. Pears are a great snack because they're high in copper, vitamins C and K, and fiber. If you're sharing pears with your dog, just be sure to cut the pear flesh into bite-size chunks and remove the pit and seeds first, as the seeds contain traces of cyanide.

Clean fruits and vegetables before eating, cutting, or cooking, unless the package says the contents have been washed. Wash or scrub fruits and vegetables under running water—even if you do not plan to eat the peel. Germs on the peel or skin can get inside fruits and vegetables when you cut them.

Look to the crispest raw pears to find those that can withstand heat. The popular Bosc pear is the best option. Anjou pears are another top choice and Concorde and French butter pears are also reliable.

What is the most delicious pear? ›

Bartlett Pears: Bartlett pears are a classic choice for fresh eating. Look for pears that are yellow or greenish-yellow with a slight blush. They should yield slightly to gentle pressure near the stem when ripe. Comice Pears: Comice pears are exceptionally sweet and buttery, making them perfect for snacking.

Comice pears are perhaps the best pears for eating raw. They have a great fruity aroma and flavor, as well as a slightly finer, less grainy texture than other pear varieties. They are almost a cross between a Bosc pear and an Asian pear. Comice pears are slightly more rounded and apple-shaped than other pears.

Pears — particularly red varieties — may help decrease diabetes risk. One large older study in over 200,000 people found that eating five or more weekly servings of anthocyanin-rich fruits like red pears was associated with a 23% lower risk of type 2 diabetes ( 34 ).

Comice pears were originally cultivated in France. They're known as the sweetest pear variety, and are often the variety shipped in gift boxes. Because of this, they're sometimes given the nickname “the Christmas pear.” Comice pears have light green skin with a blush of pinkish red.

Pears are not the earliest ripening type of fruit trees and most are ripe between July and October. Here are a few varieties for each part of the growing season for you to choose from or to extend your harvest season so you can enjoy Pears all summer and into fall or even well into the winter months!

Fruit can be cooked using moist heat or dry heat methods. To make a sauce, compote or to poach would require moist heat. Liquid and seasoning is often added to soften and infuse a new flavor. Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, chilies and saffron can be used to add a deep and complex flavor to fruit.

For some fruits, poaching is a way to soften them up for dishes where they would otherwise add little or no textural value. Pears are often poached so that they become soft enough to be pureed into a sauce or blended into a soup.

Cover and steam for about 10-12 minutes or until the pears are tender. If you opt for boiling, place the pears in a saucepan and add enough water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the pears are soft and easily mashed with a fork.

Both cooked and raw pears are healthy, and can have a positive impact as part of a balanced diet. But when pears are cooked, something magical happens, and release extra pectin – a special form of fibre.