Shells With Crispy Pancetta And Spinach Food

STUFFED SHELLS WITH CRISPY PANCETTA AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain pasta. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and allow to cool before stuffing.
• Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large bowl.
• Add the spinach, onion, garlic, parsley, ricotta cheese, asiago cheese, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir to combine.
• Stuff the shells with about 2 tablespoons of the spinach mixture each and place the stuffed shells in a large, buttered baking dish.
• For the sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the cream and bring to a simmer.
• Turn the heat to very low and add the 2 cups asiago cheese, parsley, and pepper. Stir until the cheese is dissolved.
• Pour the sauce over the shells. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup asiago cheese.
• Bake, covered, until golden on top, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

CRISPY PANCETTA CROSTINI WITH ARUGULA-LEMON PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Toast the pine nuts in a saute pan over medium-high heat until golden in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and reserve.
• Arrange the pancetta in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to cool.
• Combine the toasted pine nuts, garlic and Parmesan in a food processor; pulse to finely chop. Add the arugula and continue to pulse until finely chopped. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil; process until incorporated. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, and pulse to combine.
• Spoon a nice dollop of pesto onto each slice of baguette, top with a pancetta crisp and serve.

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES WITH BURST CHERRY TOMATOES, PANCETTA AND LOBSTER

Steps:

• Place the sliced green tomatoes onto a sheet tray lined with a rack and sprinkle with some kosher salt. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
• Set up a dredging station by placing 1 cup of the flour into one dish, the eggs into a second and the cornmeal mixed with the remaining 1/4 cup flour into a third. Pat the green tomatoes dry on both sides. Season with more kosher salt, then dip a slice into the flour first, shaking off any excess, then into the egg and finally the cornmeal. Place onto a sheet tray lined with a rack and repeat with the remaining tomato slices. Make sure to pat the cornmeal onto the tomato firmly to ensure it's tightly coated.
• Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into a large, high sided saute pan and turn on the heat to low. Add the pancetta and smashed garlic and gently cook to slowly render the fat, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta is crispy and most of the fat has rendered out, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle the lobster tails with kosher salt. Add into the pan, cut side down, and sear for 2 to 3 minutes, until they begin to turn pink. Add the white wine and cover the pan to steam the lobster for another 1 to 2 minutes to finish cooking. Remove the lobster tails onto a sheet tray and allow to cool slightly. Add the cherry tomatoes and crushed red pepper and season with kosher salt. Cook until the cherry tomatoes begin to burst, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chicken stock and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced and slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove and discard the smashed garlic. Season with kosher salt if needed.
• Carefully remove the meat from lobster shells and discard the shells. Toss the lobster meat into the sauce to quickly warm.
• Heat a large saute pan with the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add half of the breaded green tomatoes (you want to cook these in two batches) and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, or until crispy on the underside. Carefully flip, then cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil, then transfer to a sheet tray lined with a rack so they remain crispy. Season immediately with kosher salt.
• Set up a fryer with vegetable oil and heat the oil to 350 degrees F. Fry the basil leaves until crispy, 1 to 2 minutes. Be careful because as they will pop in the oil. Remove the basil leaves onto a paper-towel-lined sheet tray.
• To serve, plate 2 fried green tomatoes and top with 2 lobster halves. Spoon the burst cherry tomato and pancetta sauce around the green tomatoes, making sure not to smother them so the fried tomatoes don't get soggy. Garnish the tomato sauce with the grated Parmesan cheese and top with the fried basil leaves.

SHELLS WITH CRISPY PANCETTA AND SPINACH - GIADA DE LAURENTIIS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Shells:.
• Boil large pot of salted water over high heat.
• Add pasta and cook until tender but firm to bite, 8-10 minutes.
• Drain pasta.
• Warm olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.
• Add pancetta, cook until lightly golden, about 5 minutes.
• Remove pancetta with slotted spoon to large bowl, let cool.
• Add spinach, ricotta and asiago cheeses, pepper and nutmeg to bowl.
• Stir to combine.
• Stuff shells with about 2 TBS. of spinach mixture.
• Place shells in large buttered baking dish.
• Sauce:.
• Melt butter in medium saucepan.
• Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Add cream and simmer.
• Turn heat to very low and add 2 cups of asiago cheese, parsley, and pepper.
• Stir until cheese is melted.
• Pour sauce over shells.
• Top with remaining 1/4 cup asiago cheese.
• Bake until golden on top, about 25 minutes.
• Remove and serve immediately.

SHELLS WITH CRISPY PANCETTA AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the shells:
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
• Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large bowl. Add the spinach, ricotta cheese, asiago cheese, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Stuff the shells with about 2 tablespoons of the spinach mixture each and place the stuffed shells in a large, buttered baking dish.
• For the sauce:
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to very low and add the 2 cups asiago cheese, parsley, and pepper. Stir until the cheese is dissolved. Pour the sauce over the shells. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup asiago cheese. Bake until golden on top, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.