Goats Cheese Garlic Linguine With Crisp Pancetta Food

BAKED GOAT CHEESE PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Add the tomatoes, garlic, shallot, oregano and red pepper flakes to a 9 x 13 baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss to combine. Nestle the goat cheese in the dish among the other ingredients and drizzle with the last tablespoon of olive oil. Bake until the tomatoes have blistered and the goat cheese has melted slightly, 22 to 25 minutes.
• While the tomatoes and goat cheese bake, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water, and set aside.
• Remove the tomatoes and goat cheese from the oven. Add the pesto and begin tossing everything together, breaking up the goat cheese as you go and adding a little pasta water, until you have a creamy consistency. Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat. Serve hot garnished with the fresh basil.

WARM PANCETTA, GOAT CHEESE AND SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• Put the spinach in a large bowl. Crumble the cheese over the spinach. Cook the pancetta in a medium skillet over medium heat until crispy, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the pancetta in a sieve set over a heatproof measuring cup, reserving the rendered fat. You will need 1/4 cup for the dressing. If necessary, add enough olive oil to make 1/4 cup. Pour the fat back into the pan and add the pancetta. When the pancetta is warm again, add the garlic and cook until light brown, about 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. Add the thyme and let it crackle in the fat for about 10 seconds. Add the vinegar, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for about 30 seconds to lower the acidity of the vinegar. You should see tiny drops of vinegar dispersed throughout the fat. Add the dried cranberries and stir. Pour the dressing over the spinach and cheese. Toss to coat the leaves evenly and melt the cheese a little. Serve immediately.

GOAT CHEESE SALAD WITH PANCETTA, GARLIC AND FIGS

Steps:

• Place the pancetta in a large skillet over low heat and cook until it has browned and released half of its fat. Remove the pancetta from the skillet with a slotted spoon. Add the olive oil to the skillet and increase the heat to medium. When the pancetta is hot but not smoking, return it to the pan and cook for a few seconds.
• Add the garlic and cook until lightly browned. Add the thyme and cook just until it makes a popping sound. Stir in the vinegar and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Crumble the goat cheese into the skillet and cook just until it begins to weep. Toss in the greens and immediately remove the pan from the heat. Toss in the figs and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the salad in a bowl and serve warm.

PANCETTA CRISPS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND PEAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Place pancetta slices in single layer on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with pepper. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Using spatula, slide pancetta crisps onto platter. Top each with 1 teaspoon goat cheese and 1 pear slice. Sprinkle with thyme and serve.