Gorgonzola melts into a quick cream sauce for pasta, softened with pear and a touch of butter. The blue cheese does the heavy lifting tonight, so a simple platform lets it sing.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 730 calories a serving, 24 g protein, 91 g carbohydrate, 29 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 6 ounces pasta until al dente, about eight to ten minutes, then drain and set aside, reserving one cup of pasta water.10 min
2. While the pasta cooks, peel and dice 2 firm pears into half-inch pieces, discarding the core. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat, add the pear, and cook for three minutes until it begins to soften.3 min
3. Add 4 ounces gorgonzola crumbles to the pear and stir until melted and smooth, about two minutes, then pour in one-half cup of the reserved pasta water to create a loose sauce.2 min
4. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat, adding more pasta water by the tablespoon if the sauce seems dry. Season with salt and pepper and serve right away.

Note Swap the pear for apple or ripe fig if you prefer. Leftovers keep three days cold or reheated gently with a splash of water. Serve with a simple green salad and crusty bread to soak the sauce.