Gougères With Pancetta And Sage Food

GOUGèRES WITH PANCETTA AND SAGE

Steps:

• Put pancetta in a large skillet and place over medium heat. Cook slowly, stirring, until fat is rendered and meat is well browned and crispy all over, 12 to 17 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Sprinkle sage into the hot fat in the skillet and cook until crisp, about 1 minute. Transfer to plate with pancetta. When cool, finely chop pancetta and sage together.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Have ready an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a sturdy mixing spoon).
• In a saucepan, bring 1 cup water, butter, salt and cayenne to a boil. Stir in flour all at once, and cook, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, until dough forms a mass and pulls away from the sides of the pot, 2 to 3 minutes. The dough will be quite stiff.
• Scrape into the mixer and beat until cooled slightly, about 30 seconds. Add one egg at a time, letting it fully incorporate before adding the next. (If you don't have a mixer, you can do this by mixing dough vigorously with a sturdy spoon.)
• When eggs are incorporated, add Gruyère and continue to beat until it is mostly melted into batter, then add pancetta and sage and mix until combined.
• Transfer batter to a large resealable plastic bag, and snip off 3/4-inch from one corner, or use a pastry bag. Pipe into balls, about 2 teaspoons each, leaving 1 inch of space between them. (Or, use a spoon to form the balls and drop onto baking sheets.)
• Sprinkle Parmesan on top, and bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, and continue to bake until golden and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes more. Serve immediately, while still warm.

WHITE CHEDDAR GOUGERES, APPLE PULP, PROSCIUTTO AND SAGE

Steps:

• Prepare the gougeres: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. In a large saucepan, combine the butter, salt and 1 cup water. Stir over high heat until the butter melts completely, then remove the pan from the heat and add all the flour at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth, then transfer to a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed and add the eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the grated cheese.
• Transfer the dough to a pastry bag, or use 2 wet spoons to drop neat 1-tablespoon mounds onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and crisp. When done, turn off the oven and let the gougeres dry out in the oven with the door ajar to keep them nice and crisp.
• Cook the apples for the filling: Peel the apples and discard the core; cut into 1/2-inch dice. Melt the butter in a large saute pan over high heat. When foaming, add the spices. They will toast instantly and become fragrant; add the apples and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, until browned. Add 2 tablespoons water, the honey and lemon juice. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced and the apples are tender. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Set a clean saute pan over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the pan; when hot, fry the sage leaves until crisp and almost transparent, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels. Add the prosciutto pieces to the same pan in a single layer (work in batches, if necessary). Cook for 1 minute on each side to crisp them up. Drain on paper towels.
• To assemble, carefully tear off the top third of each gougere and spoon in some warm apple filling. Top with a sage leaf and a piece of prosciutto and season lightly with fleur de sel. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper.

WHITE BEANS WITH PANCETTA AND SAGE

Steps:

• Put the dried beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak the beans overnight in the refrigerator.
• Drain the soaked beans, place them in a large pot and cover with fresh cold water. Put the beans over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Toss in the bay leaves and garlic. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 11/2 hours until tender. Drain the cooked beans and spread them out on a sheet pan to cool slightly.
• Put about 1/2 cup of flour in a shallow platter and season it with salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. Toss the beans in the seasoned flour to coat completely.
• Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is hot, add the pancetta, fry for a couple of minutes to crisp it up. Toss in the sage leaves and fry for about 1 minute. Remove the pancetta and sage to some paper towels; now you have a flavor base. Shake off excess flour from the beans and put them in the pan in a single layer. Fry the beans for a good 10 minutes to form a golden crust on the outside of the beans, tossing to cook both sides.
• Return the pancetta and fried sage to the pan, stir everything together, and serve.

PENNE WITH PUMPKIN, CRISPY PANCETTA, SAGE AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil.
• Meanwhile, heat a heavy-based saucepan, add one tablespoon of the olive oil and then add the pancetta. Cook until the pancetta starts to change colour. Then add the remaining olive oil and the onions. Cook until the onion start to soften and the pancetta begins to crisp.
• Next add 1oz of the butter to the saucepan. Add the pumpkin and sage, then mix really well. Season with a little sea salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper. Cover and cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring now and then.
• Meanwhile, add the penne to the boiling water and cook according to the packet instructions, keeping the pasta al dente.
• Add the remaining butter and the parsley to the pumpkin and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. The pumpkin should be soft but not completely falling apart.
• Drain the pasta and add to the pumpkin. Stir in half of the Parmesan, then check the seasoning. Divide between four warmed pasta bowls. Finish each bowl with a sprinkling of Parmesan and eat straight away.

POTATO GNOCCHI WITH PANCETTA, PEAS AND SAGE

Steps:

• To make the gnocchi:.
• Wash and dry the potatoes. Slit each one or prick with a fork. Place in a 375 degree oven and bake for approximately 1 hour or until tender all the way through.
• Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel the skin and run the potatoes through a food mill or potato ricer onto a baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator until the potatoes are cold.
• Put the riced potatoes on a floured flat working surface. Sprinkle the salt, the cheese and about 1 cup of the flour over the potatoes. Create a well in the potatoes and add the beaten egg.
• Begin mixing the ingredients together with your hands and kneading the dough lightly. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky but be careful not to add too much flour or knead the dough too much. This will make the gnocchi very heavy and tough. (You can test out your dough by boiling a little water and dropping some of your dough into it to cook. If they fall apart you will need to add more flour. If they are heavy and tough, then you have added too much flour.).
• Cut off pieces of dough and roll them out with your hands into ropes about the diameter of your thumb. Then cut the ropes into about 1 inch pieces. You can also roll each gnocchi over the back of a fork to create ridges if desired.
• Put gnocchi on a baking sheet with plenty of flour to keep them from sticking to each other and the pan.
• To make the sauce:.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the pancetta. Cook until crisp.
• Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds then add the sage. Cook another 30 seconds.
• Add the chicken broth and peas and cook over medium high heat until the liquid is reduced by half.
• Lower the heat to low and add the butter and cook until melted and the sauce is slightly thickened.
• Cook the gnocchi in boiling water. They will rise to the surface when they are done. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and let drain. Add them to the sauce and gently stir together.
• Serve with additional cheese at the table.