Lidia's Italy

Celery is a vegetable that is not used much except for soups or munching on, and I love it tossed in salads. Celery goes extremely well with cheeses like Grana Padano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, or Gorgonzola. Take the smaller but tender ribs from a washed head of celery and fill the cavity up into the leaves, with room-temperature sweet Gorgonzola. You can serve these stuffed celery ribs as an appetizer or snack. Another way to enjoy the combination of celery and Gorgonzola cheese is to serve them together warm. Trim and cut the celery ribs in thirds. Cook the cut stalks in lightly salted water for 10 minutes, then drain them well. Press each one lightly with the side of a knife to flatten and set them side by side in a buttered baking pan. Sprinkle plenty of crumbled Gorgonzola cheese over them and bake in a 425 degree oven until the cheese is melted, about 5-10 minutes.