Pear and Arugula Salad

At La Grotta di Zi’ Concetta in Campobasso, Italy, the rustic dishes are simple and rarely exceed three ingredients. This one, which can be a main or a side dish, features grilled scamorza cheese with peppery wild arugula and sweet local pears. Scamorza is mozzarella’s cousin; it’s a salted cow’s-milk cheese made from stretched curds that are shaped into a spherical form, then wrapped with twine and hung up to age, resulting in a pear-shaped cheese—it’s only a coincidence that its flavor goes so well with pears!

SERVES 4

Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish or appetizer, or 3 or 4 as a main dish

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
• 1 pound scamorza cheese, cut into ½-inch-thick rounds
• 1 small, firm pear (I like Bartlett), cored and cut into ⅛-inch-thick slices
• 12 ounces arugula
• 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Lightly grease a grill pan or skillet and heat the pan over high heat. Grill the scamorza until crisp on the outside and soft and slightly melted inside, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Set aside while dressing the salad.
2. In a large bowl, combine the pear, arugula, olive oil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with your hands.
3. Serve the scamorza alongside the pear salad.