Tag: pancetta
Vegetable Lasagna
This is a great way to get some veggies into your kids. They may not notice all the greens while they enjoy the yummy noodles, cheese and sauce. Eliminate the pancetta if you want to keep it vegetarian. If not then it is great way to infuse some great flavor without adding a lot of meat.
- 9 to 12 lasagna noodles
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup pancetta, chopped (eliminate if making vegetarian)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 10 ounces Cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 10 ounces Shiitaki mushrooms, sliced
- 4 cups mixed greens (I used a combination of kale, green cabbage, red cabbage & Brussels sprouts), shredded
- 1 cup ricotta
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- ½ cup parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano, divided
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 3 cups fresh tomato sauce, preferable homemade
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil the lasagna noodles until they are soft and pliable, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the pasta and lay flat on a sheet tray to cool.
Add olive oil and pancetta to a large frying pan. Saute on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and continue to sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté on high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the greens and cook for another 5 minutes until they are wilted. Check for seasonings and turn heat off and let cool.
In a small bowl, add the ricotta, garlic, parsley, salt, egg, and ½ cup of cheese. Mix well and keep aside.
In the bottom of a 8 by 8 baking dish, add a half cup of sauce. Spread evenly. Arrange three to four noodles to completely cover the sauce. Spread ½ of the ricotta mixture over the pasta. Add ½ of the mushroom mixture and spread evenly. Repeat with noodles, sauce, ricotta and mixture. Finally add the last batch of noodles and cover with sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano and all of mozzarella on top. Cover with foil. Place the lasagna on a baking sheet and bake in oven for an hour 15 minutes, removing the foil for the last 15 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing.
Chicken and Mushroom Ragu on Herb Polenta
Delicious chicken stew over polenta…
- 1 pound chicken thighs, skinned
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup pancetta, chopped
- Salt
- Pepper
Heat a saucepan with the olive oil on high. Add the pancetta and sauté for a minute. Brown the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes of each side. Sprinkle salt while browning. Take the chicken pieces out and keep aside.
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 cups chicken broth
- Salt
Add the herbs in the pancetta mixture with the mushrooms. Saute on high heat till the mushrooms have cooked down including the excess liquid. Add the shallot and garlic. Saute for a minute and add the flour. Cook the flour for a minute and add the red wine. Scrape all the brown bits off the bottom and add the chicken broth. Add the chicken pieces and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes with the lid on. Take the lid off and make sure the chicken is tender and juicy. Turn the heat up and bring to a boil and cook till the dish reaches desired consistency.
Herb Polenta with Gruyere
- 1 cup fine polenta
- 1½ cups milk
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup aged Gruyere cheese, grated
Bring the milk and broth. Add the herbs and salt. Slowly add the polenta whisking at the same time, stirring till it thickens. Turn the heat off and add the cheese. Mix well and check for seasonings. Serve with the chicken and mushroom ragu.
Mushroom Penne with Pesto
A quick weeknight meal- ready in minutes and delicious!!
- 20 ounces mushrooms, a mix of white and cremini, sliced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 ounces pancetta, chopped
- 1 large shallot, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- ½ pound penne pasta
- ½ cup pesto, store bought
- Salt to taste
In a medium pan, bring salty water to a roaring boil and add the pasta. Cook according to the box directions.
In the meantime, in a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and add the pancetta. Saute till light brown on medium heat, for about 5 minutes. Add the shallot and garlic. Saute for another 3-4 minutes. Next, add the mushrooms and cook on high heat stirring constantly. They will wilt down to almost half their size. Add the cooked pasta and the pesto. Turn the heat off, stir and check for salt.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garam Masala and Cilantro
These Brussels sprouts are very similar to the ones I have made in the past. I just changed up the spices a bit. I added garam masala to the mix. Cilantro finished the process and made this dish absolutely delicious!
- 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the sprouts onto a lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, till the sprouts are golden brown. Take out and keep aside.
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup pancetta, chopped
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ cup half and half
- Salt
- ½ cup cilantro
Heat a pan with the olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook on medium heat till the fat is rendered. Add the walnuts and garam masala. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Add half and half and the roasted sprouts. Mix well and add salt if necessary. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
Pasta with Pancetta Mushrooms and Spinach
This one is quick and simple- you can eliminate the pancetta and add some shallots and garlic to make it vegetarian…
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup pancetta, chopped
- 2 cups Cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 8 ounces, baby spinach
- Salt
- ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano
- ½ pound penne pasta, cooked al dente
- 1 cup saved pasta water
Heat a wide frying pan with the oil. Add the pancetta and sauté on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté on high heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the spinach, pasta, ½ cup pasta water, salt and the cheese. Mix well till the spinach is wilted. Check for seasonings and serve warm.
Turkey Burgers with Pancetta and Caramelized Onions
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ cup pancetta, chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
Heat a frying pan with the olive oil. Add the pancetta and sauté on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic. Saute for another 5 minutes on medium heat. Let cool and keep aside.
- 1 pound ground turkey meat
- 1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
- 1/3 cup parsley, chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 4 slices fontina cheese
Transfer the ground turkey, rosemary, parsley, salt and the pancetta mixture to a medium bowl. Mix well and form into 4 patties. Cook on grill or a frying pan. Melt cheese on top.
Serve in ciabatta rolls with tomato slices.
Pasta with Spring Peas and Pancetta
The pasta theme continues with a very simple and delicious pasta with a bit of pancetta and lots of peas- yummy and quick!!!
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup pancetta, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 3 cups tomato sauce
- Salt
- 2 cups frozen peas
- ½ cup chives, chopped
- ½ pound cooked pasta with 1 cup pasta water
- ½ cup Grana Padano cheese, grated
Heat a large frying pan with the pancetta and oil. Saute on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and salt and cook on a simmer for 20 minutes. Add the peas, bring to a boil and lower heat to a simmer. Add the chives, pasta and pasta water if needed. Mix well and cook till the sauce is thickened. Season with salt and garnish with cheese.