Instructions: (* Availabel at Italian markets and some specialty food stores)

I. Heat oven to 375 deg. Wash and fry pears, slice them in half lengthwise. Rub the pear halves all over with a tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place, cut side down, on a heavy sheet pan and roast on a rack set low in the oven until soft and cut sides have browned and caramelized (40 -45 min.)

II. Meanwhile, place blue cheese and mascarpone in mixer and cream together. Tast and season with salt an pepper if desired. Set aside.

Arrange 2 slices of prosciutto on each of 6 plates and position a watercress sprig on the side.

III. When the pears are soft, remove them from the oven. Remove the cores with a spoon. (Recipe may be done aheat to this point. Reheat oven before continuing.) Place 1 Tablespooon of the cheese mixture into the hollow of each pear half. Return to the oven until cheeses melt (5 -7 min.)

IV. Treansfer hlaf-pears, 1 to each plate. Drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil over each and sprinkle with halzelnuts. Serve at once with a fruity red wine such as dolcetto.

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