Enough with the fruit cake. Chef Costa’s dessert uses all those lovely pears at the farmers markets and it’s a bit savoury— just what we want after the surfeit of sweet during the holidays.
| young Pecorino cheese (or Piave or Parmigiano Reggiano) | |
| 1k | peeled and cored pears, cubed |
| Juice of 2 lemons plus the zest of 1 lemon | |
| 500 g | sugar |
| 3c | water |
Place the cubed pears, lemon zest and water in a medium sized heavy-bottomed pot. Boil for 15 minutes or until the pears are very soft. Using a blender or hand blender puree the pears and water to desired consistency, I prefer a fairly coarse texture. Return the puree to the pot along with the sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium-high heat until thick and reduced, approximately 30 minutes. Place a spoonful of the marmellata on a plate and cool in the freezer for 5 minutes to check the consistency. If the marmellata is too runny continue to simmer until you have reached your desired consistency. Season to taste with more lemon. Allow the marmellata to cool. Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.
Serve the marmellata alongside the young Pecorino.