White Wine Poached Pears & Baked Ricotta

WHITE WINE POACHED PEARS & BAKED RICOTTA

Preparation time: 15 minutes; Pre heat oven to 180C or 160C fan forced
Cooking time: 60 minutes
Serves 4

400g Beurre Bosc pears, trimmed, cored and peeled
120g Australian floral or Yellow Box honey (approximately 3 tablespoons)
2 cups water
½ cup dry white wine
1 good pinch saffron threads (around 20)
5 Cardamom pods
8 cloves
1 cinnamon quill (approximately 10cms long)
2 X 250g low-fat Ricotta (I used Perfect Italiano Ricotta Smooth light)

1. Slice the pears into wedges.

2. Put the honey, water, wine, saffron, Cardamom, cloves and cinnamon into a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pear wedges to the cooking liquid and simmer for 20 minutes or until the pears are soft but not mushy. Strain the pears and return the cooking liquid to the saucepan and reduce in volume (by simmering) to ¾ cup - I had 1¼ cup to start with. Cool.

3. Meanwhile, tip the ricotta onto a baking paper lined tray and cook for 60 minutes - when finished cooking (the Ricotta will be set and only lightly browned), remove and cool.

4. To serve, cut baked Ricotta into quarters or spoon into desired shapes - place in the middle of individual plates and equally divide the pear wedges over or around them. Spoon over the reduced cooking liquid.