Pears and Speck with Dried Fruit

Pears and speck with dried fruit is a tasty and easy-to-prepare appetizer that combines the sweetness of pears with the savoriness of speck and the crunchiness of dried fruit. Here’s how to prepare them:

Ingredients

• 2 ripe but firm pears
• 8 slices of speck
• 40 g of walnuts or other dried fruit to taste (such as almonds or hazelnuts)
• Lemon juice
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation

1. Start by washing the pears, drying them, and then cutting them in half, removing the core, and slicing them to obtain slices that are not too thick. Drizzle them with lemon juice to prevent them from browning.
2. In a pan, lightly toast the dried fruit without adding fat, until golden and fragrant. Let them cool and then coarsely chop them.
3. In a non-stick pan, cook the slices of speck until they become crispy, then set them aside on paper towels to remove excess fat.
4. Arrange the pear slices on a serving plate. On each pear slice, place a crispy speck slice and sprinkle with the chopped dried fruit.
5. Dress these delicious towers with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a fresh grind of black pepper.
6. Serve immediately to best enjoy the contrast between the hot crispy speck and the fresh pears.

Pears and speck with dried fruit is a dish that combines different flavors and textures in a very pleasant union for the palate.

Curiosity

Speck is a cured meat typical of northern Italy, particularly Trentino-Alto Adige. Its characteristic is the smoky flavor and the spices with which it is flavored during aging, making it perfect to accompany the sweetness of pears. The combination of fruit and cured meats is very common in Italian cuisine, especially as an appetizer during festive meals or on special occasions.