Pasta With Bacon Cheese Lemon And Pine Nuts Food

PASTA WITH BACON, CHEESE, LEMON AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Put the cheese, herbs and red pepper flakes on the table. Zest the lemon and put the zest on the table in a small serving bowl. Cut the lemon in half.
• Put bacon in a medium-size heavy pot and turn the heat on low. Cook, turning occasionally, until fat has rendered and bacon is chewy-crisp, about 10 minutes. Lift out bacon pieces and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Keep warm on top of the stove.
• When the water boils, add pasta, stir well and cover. When the water comes back to the boil, uncover and stir again.
• Put 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan and melt it over medium-low heat. When it foams, throw in the pine nuts and cook, shaking the pan, until they turn brown and toasty. Turn off heat and squeeze the lemon into the pan, cupping your hand underneath to catch any pits. Stir and set aside. Transfer bacon to a serving bowl and place on the table.
• As soon as the pasta is tender (it will cook a bit more later on), drain it, reserving a cup of the cooking water. Immediately return the pasta to the pan over low heat. Toss in a chunk of butter. Add a splash of cooking water and a pinch of salt, stir well, cover and let rest 1 minute. Taste and adjust the seasonings until the pasta is completely cooked and tasty (but plain).
• For those who like plain pasta or pasta with just butter and cheese, set aside a good amount in serving bowls. For others, pour the pine nuts and butter into the pasta remaining in the pot, add another splash of cooking water, and toss to combine. Serve from the pot or in a serving bowl, passing the various toppings.

MACARONI CHEESE WITH BACON & PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the pine nuts in a dry frying pan, gently toast for 2-3 mins, then tip onto a plate. In the same pan, add the pancetta or bacon and cook for a few mins until crisp.
• Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta following pack instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving a ladleful of the pasta cooking water for later.
• Meanwhile, put the double cream, crème fraîche and half the cheese in a saucepan, stir together and gently warm through until the cheese has melted. Take off the heat, stir in the mustard and some seasoning to taste.
• Tip the drained pasta into a large baking dish and stir in the cheese sauce, adding some of the pasta cooking water if it looks a little dry. Sprinkle the toasted pine nuts and cooked pancetta over the top, then scatter over the remaining cheese. Bake for 20 mins until the top is golden and bubbling, then serve with a salad, if you like.

LEMON PINE NUT PASTA

Steps:

• Nuts -- First, toast the pine nuts. In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts until slightly brown and you can smell the aroma. The heat just brings out their flavor. Set to the side and rough chop.
• Pasta -- Cook the pasta according to package directions in salted water. Once the pasta is tender, (reserving 2 cups of the pasta water) and just keep warm in the strainer you make the sauce. NOTE: Whole wheat makes all the difference in this dish.
• Garlic -- In the pot you cooked the pasta in, return to the heat and add the olive oil and bring to medium heat. Add in the garlic and cook for one minute to lightly toast.
• Finishing -- Return the pasta to the pot with the garlic and oil and add the lemon juice, zest, parmesan, pine nuts, parsley, salt (go lightly, the parmesan is salty), pepper and 1 cup of the pasta water and toss until everything is well combined. You may need a bit more water until it is the consistency you like.
• That's it. You can garnish with extra parmesan or parsley if you want, but I don't think it is necessary. ENJOY.

PANCETTA BACON PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large saute pan. Add the Pancetta and saute until slightly brown. Add the garlic, saute briefly, and then deglaze with the wine. Reduce the wine by half, and then add the heavy cream. Reduce this by one third, and then toss in your cooked pasta. Heat the pasta through and add the Parmesan, white pepper, and salt and toss. Pour into bowls and add more Parmesan cheese (as much as you like).
• Ask your butcher for a 5 pound, nice square piece of pork belly (skinless) that will fit into a 2-gallon zip-top bag.
• Pat the belly with paper towels to dry. Mix together all the spices. Wearing plastic gloves, rub the cure mixture into both sides of the belly. Place in a 2-gallon zip-top bag, put on a sheet pan, and refrigerate. Every day for 1 week, turn the bag over and massage the belly (through the bag) to ensure saturation. The pork will take on a slightly darker color than what it was. This is a sign that the cure is working. It will also draw some moisture out of the belly. When the meat is darker and firmer, remove the belly from the bag and run under water to remove any cure sediment. Pat dry and lightly cover with a dusting of ground white pepper. Roll the belly very tightly into a log and wrap tightly with cheesecloth. Tie the end and hang in a 34 to 38 degree F refrigerator for at least 2 weeks.At this time the bacon should be fully cured and have a good firmness when squeezed.

SPINACH, BACON AND PINE NUT PASTA

Steps:

• Whilst cooking the pasta, grate the lemon zest and mix with the lemon juice and olive oil and season.
• Fry the bacon (no oil should be necessary) until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
• Add the pine nuts to the pan with bacon and stir until lightly toasted.
• Now drain the pasta and fold in the spinach allowing it to wilt in the heat.
• Then stir in the lemon dressing, bacon and nuts and seasoning to taste (drizzle with oil and sprinkle with pepper).

KALE & SMOKY BACON PASTA

Steps:

• Boil a large pan of water and cook the pasta following pack instructions.
• Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook the lardons for a few mins until golden and a little crisp. Stir in the garlic, red chilli and pine nuts, then cook for 1 min more until the garlic and chilli are softened and the pine nuts just toasted.
• Turn up the heat and add the kale to the pan with a splash of water, cover and cook for 3-4 mins until wilted. Drain the cooked pasta and add to the pan with the cream cheese and lemon juice. Toss together, taste, and season with black pepper.