Description
Delight in these warm and tender baked pears filled with creamy feta, sweet dried cranberries, and drizzled with honey. Enhanced with fresh thyme and optional walnuts for crunch, this dish is a perfect balance of savory and sweet flavors, ideal as an elegant appetizer or a comforting dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Pears and Filling
- 4 ripe but firm pears, halved and cored
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
Seasonings and Toppings
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: Chopped walnuts for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to ensure it reaches the perfect temperature for baking the pears evenly and melting the feta beautifully.
- Prepare Pears: Halve the pears and carefully scoop out the cores to create small wells in the center of each pear half, making space for the filling ingredients.
- Assemble Pears: Arrange the pear halves cut-side up in a baking dish. Drizzle them evenly with olive oil. Fill each pear’s well with crumbled feta cheese and chopped dried cranberries, layering flavor and texture.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake the pears for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they become soft and the feta cheese begins to melt, creating a creamy topping.
- Finish and Season: Remove the pears from the oven. Drizzle honey over each portion, sprinkle fresh thyme leaves for an aromatic finish, and season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
- Garnish: Optionally, add chopped walnuts on top for a crunchy contrast that complements the soft pears and creamy feta.
Notes
- Choose pears that are ripe but still firm to hold their shape during baking.
- Use fresh thyme for the best flavor, but dried thyme can be substituted if necessary.
- Adjust honey quantity depending on desired sweetness.
- This dish can be served warm as an appetizer or chilled as a light dessert.
- To make it vegan, substitute feta cheese with a plant-based cheese and use maple syrup instead of honey.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheat gently.
