Giancarlo Morelli's recipe: pear with saffron, sage cream and hazelnut brittle

Eclectic, whimsical, outgoing: are these three terms enough to define a successful chef? Usually yes, not in the case of Giancarlo Morelli, a real war machine both in the kitchen and in business. Michelin-starred chef, owner of five restaurants, the Pomiroeu housed in a nineteenth-century courtyard in Seregno, the Trattoria Trombetta, in Porta Venezia, in Milan two places housed in the 5-star Hotel VIU Milan and the Phi Beach on the Costa Smeralda, te imagine him as an icy chef-entrepreneur at the head of a small business empire of luxury restaurants. Then you discover that the powerful war machine that even led him to be nominated by the head of state, Cavaliere del Lavoro, an order of Italian citizens «who have made themselves singularly meritorious», signaling themselves "in agriculture, industry, commerce, in craftsmanship, in credit and insurance business”, has a heart that beats, for the Bergamo countryside, which gave him birth, first of all, but also for a cuisine that knows how to express itself in its fullest and richest simplicity, revealing in this his soul as a poet and farmer that marked his childhood because - he likes to say - "nature is so generous that it does not need to be elaborated to restore its taste". He has known that simplicity since he was a child thanks to his family, peasant relatives, farmers and hunters, who opened his eyes and soul to the colours, flavours, scents of the countryside and woods, while his mother , Mamma Rosa, seamstress and cook, elaborated all this heritage of sensations in original and quality dishes.

Attentive to the research of the raw material, the pure extraction of taste, the surprising and calibrated balances, Giancarlo Morelli has built his philosophy around the concept of healthy, good and above all ethical cooking in respect of the ingredients, of the traditions, but also of the places , some men.

And even today, when he is a famous, rich, sought-after chef all over the world, he receives awards, has a red star pinned on his chest, cooks for grown-ups, always remains firmly rooted in the idea of ​​a kitchen that is an expression of peasant socialization: "for me it is normal to make others happy, especially with food. Sharing, being together, laughing. This is true luxury."

Expression of a tasty, refined, beautiful to look at cuisine is the recipe proposed by the starred Chef to the readers of First&Food: Pear with saffron, cream and sage and crunchy hazelnut. His pear with saffron is a reinterpretation of the classic pear with mulled wine or chocolate that accompanies autumn or winter, but in this recipe - says Morelli - I believe that the bitter taste of saffron is a very pleasant contrast in a dessert , which provides notes of freshness thanks to the sage-scented cream, very tasty and always appreciated in my restaurants".

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The recipe: saffron pear, sage cream and hazelnut brittle

Ingredients for people 4

For the pear

4 abbot pears

200 grams of sugar

400 grams of water

5 g of saffron powder

2 cloves

1 lemon

For the cream

100 ml of fresh cream

15 grams of sugar

4 sage leaves

70 gr of hazelnuts

Method

Combine sugar, water, spices and saffron in a saucepan large enough to hold the pears. Bring to the boil, away from the heat and add the previously peeled pears. Close with a lid. Return to low heat until the pears are cooked through and the liquid has reduced by 2/3.

In the meantime, whip the cream with the sugar and the finely chopped sage leaves.

Toast the hazelnuts in the oven at 170° for about 5 minutes.

Introduction

Remove the pears from the liquid, dry them slightly, place them on the plate and arrange the whipped cream on top.

Finally, add the crunchy hazelnuts over the cream.

Ps

The starting liquid must be reduced to the consistency of a caramel and will be used last to glaze and polish the pears.