Category: pork

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food gnocchi pancetta spinach

an interesting gnocchi recipe

The title’s ironic, OK? I posted on Facebook that I was “looking for an interesting gnocchi recipe”, and that a couple of days later I had “found an interesting gnocchi recipe”. Three separate people asked me about – it’s easy to forget the reach that Facebook has.

Anywho, it’s dead easy. First I fry some spinach with a little sliced garlic until all straggly, then season and add nutmeg before removing to one side to cool. Once it’s cooled I squeeze the juice out and chop finely. Meanwhile I’ve some gnocchi on the boil (note: I made gnocchi myself once – it so wasn’t worth the effort, nor the washing up). Then I fry some pancetta in the same pan, and once crispy I throw the boiled gnocchi in the pan to absorb some hammy flavours. Then the spinach is back in to warm through, finally some creme fraiche, salt and pepper, a touch of parmesan (I added too much the first time) and it’s done. Creamy and extremely filling.
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an interesting gnocchi recipe

Servings 4 people
Author Gary @ BigSpud

Ingredients

  • 500 g spinach
  • 2 cloves garlic sliced
  • 1/2 nutmeg grated
  • 200 g pancetta diced
  • 500 g gnocchi
  • 150 ml creme fraiche

Instructions

  • Fry the spinach an garlic in a hot pan with a little oil until the the spinach is well-wilted. Remove to a chopping board, add the nutmeg and squeeze the excess juice out with your hands or through a sieve. Run through the spinach with a knife several times to make it bitesize.
  • In the same pan, fry the pancetta. Whilst it fries get the gnocchi on to boil. When the gnocchi is ready add it to the pancetta pan and toss well so it gets coated in the pancetta oil. Add the creme fraiche and spinach mix back into the pan, season with salt and pepper and add parmesan to taste. Serve immediately.
Categories
food leeks mushroom pancetta pasta

gordon’s pasta

Crappy name, sorry about that. But we’ve never settled on a better name for this heavenly and wholesome dish, that not only celebrates the ingredients in it, but is an absolute triumph of speed and economy. I found it via Gordon Ramsay’s Fast Food: Recipes from The F Word, hence the name.

Five ingredients – that’s all you need – pancetta, leeks, chestnut mushrooms, creme fraiche, conchiglie or shell pasta (I’ve tried all shapes and shells are the best).

Get some pasta going in boiling water. Two tips here: make sure the water is at “the rolling boil” and going great guns. Secondly, always salt the water. How much? The best advice I heard was “twice as much as you think you need” which never fails me. The pancetta starts off in a medium-heat big saucepan, and once slightly crispy, leeks go in. When tender, mushrooms, then a couple of minutes later a small tub of creme fraiche is added while the heat goes down. Season up now and have a taste. As there’s not a lot of cooking going on it’s going to need good seasoning to bring the flavours out. By now the pasta should be done (al dente please) so drain that and add a splash of cooking water and the shells to the mix and toss together.

That’s it. Honestly. For perfection I add a dash of chopped parsley, but it’s such a celebration of each of its parts it’s really difficult to get wrong. Salty pancetta, tangy leeks, meaty mushrooms and a tart creamy finish, all cupped in a little pasta shell. Brilliant.

“Gordon’s pasta”:

200g conchiglie pasta

2 medium leeks, washed and sliced

75g diced pancetta

250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

300ml creme fraiche

Bunch of parsley, finely chopped

  1. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
  2. Fry the pancetta in a hot pan with some oil until starting to crisp.
  3. Add the leeks and fry until tender.
  4. Add the mushrooms and fry until softened. Season.
  5. Lower the heat, add the creme fraiche and stir through.
  6. Add a couple of tablespoons of the pasta water, then add the shells. Stir thoroughly.
  7. Check for seasoning, serve into bowls and top with parsley.
Categories
eating out food pork sweet potato

pork chop with fennel slaw and sweet potato fries

From The Crooked Knife – juicy, aniseedy and sweet.

Categories
bacon food mushroom pasta

pea, bacon and mushroom pasta

Here’s a mouthful. A little of everything in one bowl, quick and tasty.

I got some spaghetti on to boil whilst the pan business goes on. A quick frying of some bacon in a pan, and then some frozen peas and sliced chestnut mushrooms. Whilst that fries up I took a trip to the windowbox to collect some woody, aromatic thyme. I think it’s my favourite herb, so robust and penetrating, leaving a comforting note. I chuck a few leaves in with everything else.
Pasta’s about done now, so I drain that and chuck it in the pan with some creme fraiche and lemon juice. A quick season, a sloosh around for a couple of minutes, and in a bowl it goes. Instant and tasty.
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