Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  12      ounces        dried spaghetti
  16      ounces        pears -- soft-ripe
   1      tablespoon    fresh lemon juice
   1      cup           crumbled gorgonzola -- (5 oz.)
     1/2  cup           chopped Italian parsley
     1/2  cup           chicken broth
     1/2  teaspoon      cornstarch
     2/3  cup           pecans halves -- toasted
                        salt and pepper

Preparation:

Pears: Bartlett, red Bartlett, or d'Anjou pears (1/2 lb. each). For the best flavor and texture, choose pears ripe enough to yield to gentle pressure near the stem. Blue-veined cheeses such as gorgonzola and cambozola have a rich, nutty flavor; Danish blue tastes sharper. The American blue cheese is sharper. This pasta entree was first tried at Ristorante Ecco in San Francisco. 1. Half fill a 5- to 6-quart pan with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add spaghetti and boil, uncovered, until barely tender to bite, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain; return to pan. 2. Meanwhile, cut each pear lengthwise into eighths, core pieces, and slice them crosswise 1/4 inch thick. In a bowl, gently mix the pears, lemon juice, gorgonzola, and parsley; set aside. 3. In a 1- to 2-quart pan over high heat, stir broth and cornstarch until boiling. Gently mix into drained spaghetti along with pear mixture. Transfer to a serving dish. Scatter pecans on top, and season to taste with salt and pepper