Papardelle carbonara

It's really all about the pancetta! I was able to get some of Salumi pancetta, anise flavoured, a limited edition seasonal version, which just made this to-die-for!

Traditional versions of carbonara, in fact the first time I tried this was in Rome...is made with spaghetti but I like it with the flat pastas too like fettuccine and papardelle.

Ingredients:

1 slick slice of pancetta (Italian bacon), chopped

1/2 cup grated percorino

1 egg and 2 yolks

fresh pasta sheets, cut into papardelle (or whatever you like) to serve 2

salt

black pepper, freshly ground

olive oil

1 tbsp Parsley, chopped

Method:

Render the pancetta in a pan with a little olive oil until crispy, drain over paper towels to remove excess fat. Whisk the egg and yolks with the cheese, salt and pepper.

Cook the pasta until al dente, add to the egg and cheese mixture and toss immediately to coat. Add a few tablespoons of the pasta water as needed. Add the pancetta and toss again, garnish with parsley, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and serve with a simple, green salad of arugula or watercress.

Pannetone french toast

Pannetone is an Italian fruit bread that is common during the holidays but I was happy to find it at whole foods the other day. It has candied citrus in it, has a spongy consistency and is not too sweet. Perfect for luscious french toast!

Ingredients:

1 lb pannetone, sliced into 1" thick slices
6 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk
maple syrup
1 tbsp. butter


Method:

Whisk the eggs, milk and vanilla in a shallow pan and set aside to infuse for 30 minutes.
Heat a nonstick pan. Coat the pan with some butter.

Take a slice of pannetone, dip both sides into the egg mixture and place on pan. Flip when golden and place on serving plate. Repeat with the rest of the pannetone.

Serve immediately drizzled with maple syrup. Simply divine!

Andouille and fennel galette

Brunches are my favorite way to start a lazy Sunday. Sometimes, I simply like to head out but on other days when I have great ingredients at hand, it's time to get creative! Today, I was craving something savoury to go with the creamy pannetone french toast. So, started with some fresh fennel, great andouille and then topped it off with some really tangy Bulgarian feta (I am fan now!)

Ingredients:

1 small fennel bulb, sliced
2 links andouille sausage, sliced
1 small red onion, sliced
3-4 tbsp fennel greens, chopped
1 tbsp fennel seeds
4-5 garlic cloves, sliced
olive oil
2 tbsp. feta (I used a Bulgarian version that is really soft and extra creamy)
black pepper and salt to taste
1 pie crust - home made or store-bought

Method:

Film the bottom of a skillet with olive oil over medium flame. Add the fennel and garlic and toss around for a minute. Then add the sausage and saute until golden.


Now add the onion and cook until translucent. Finally add the sliced fennel, salt and pepper and cook until softened. Turn off the heat and then mix in the chopped fennel leaves.


Roll the pie-crust into a circle. Add the cooled sausage mixture on top leaving 2" around the edges. Now fold the edges inwards to make a rustic presentation. Spread the mixture evenly within the edges. Brush edges with an egg wash. Cook in a 375°F oven for 35 minutes or until golden.


Crumble the cheese over the galette and serve while still warm. I served it for brunch along with pannetone french toast. It would also be great with a simple salad for lunch.