Rocket, pear and Parmesan salad
Rocket with pear and Parmesan is a popular autumn combination in Italy. Peppery rocket, sweet juicy pear, salty Parmesan and toasted walnuts, dressed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a touch of honey — a few ingredients make a salad full of contrasts: sweet and salty, slightly bitter and crunchy. It takes about 20 minutes, and the key is a pear that is ripe but firm.
Your own work in that: 5 min.
- Toasting the walnuts 5 min
- Preparation 10 min
- Assembling 5 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneToast the walnuts
Toast the walnuts in a dry pan 3–4 minutes until fragrant. Cool and break into smaller pieces.
Ingredients: 100 g rocket · 2 pcs ripe but firm pears · 60 g Parmesan or Grana Padano, in a piece · 40 g walnuts
Rinse the rocket
Rinse the rocket in cold water and dry thoroughly in a salad spinner — wet leaves dilute the dressing.
Ingredients: 100 g rocket · 2 pcs ripe but firm pears · 60 g Parmesan or Grana Padano, in a piece · 40 g walnuts
Slice the pears
Quarter the pears, core them and slice thinly. Slice them just before assembling so they do not brown.
Ingredients: 100 g rocket · 2 pcs ripe but firm pears · 60 g Parmesan or Grana Padano, in a piece · 40 g walnuts
Thin, and just before serving.Make the dressing
Mix the olive oil with the balsamic vinegar, honey, salt and pepper.
Ingredients: 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil · 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar · 1 tsp honey · 1 pinch salt · ¼ tsp black pepper
Honey softens the balsamic.Dress the rocket
Toss the rocket with half the dressing and divide between plates.
Ingredients: 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil · 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar · 1 tsp honey · 1 pinch salt · ¼ tsp black pepper
Add pears and walnuts
Arrange the pear slices on the rocket and scatter with walnuts.
Ingredients: 100 g rocket · 2 pcs ripe but firm pears · 60 g Parmesan or Grana Padano, in a piece · 40 g walnuts
Add the Parmesan
Shave the Parmesan with a peeler straight over the salad.
Ingredients: 100 g rocket · 2 pcs ripe but firm pears · 60 g Parmesan or Grana Padano, in a piece · 40 g walnuts
Parmesan shavings — the salty heart of the salad.Drizzle and serve
Drizzle with the rest of the dressing, grind over pepper and serve at once.
Ingredients: 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil · 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar · 1 tsp honey · 1 pinch salt · ¼ tsp black pepper
Before you start
Which pears
Conference, Abate Fetel or Alexandrine Lucas pears are best — juicy but not falling apart. Pears that are too soft release juice and soak the rocket.
With gorgonzola
Crumble 80 g of gorgonzola instead of Parmesan — an equally classic Italian pairing with pear.
Storage
Eat the salad at once — rocket wilts under dressing within minutes. Prepare the components ahead and combine just before serving.
