Fusilli with Creamy Pancetta-and-Pea Sauce

Source: Cooking Light, October 1999

Pancetta (pan-CHEH-tuh), a type of Italian bacon cured with salt and spices but not smoked, adds a distinctive flavor. Substitute American-style bacon if you can't find it.

Cooking spray
1/4 cup chopped pancetta or bacon (about 1 ounce) (I used ounces
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups 1% low-fat milk (I used 2%)
1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
2 1/2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil (I used dried oregano)
1/4 teaspoon salt (with the extra pancetta, it didn't need any salt)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
5 cups hot cooked fusilli (about 4 cups uncooked short twisted spaghetti)

Heat a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add pancetta; cook 1 minute or until browned. Place pancetta in a large bowl. Heat oil in pan. Add onion and garlic; sauté 7 minutes. Add onion mixture to pancetta. Place flour in pan. Gradually add milk; stir with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick (about 5 minutes); stir constantly. Add cream cheese; stir until cheese melts. Stir in peas, 1 cup Parmesan, basil, salt, and pepper. Add cheese sauce and pasta to pancetta mixture; toss well. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 410(30% from fat); FAT 13.7g (sat 7.1g,mono 4.6g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 21.6g; CHOLESTEROL 30mg; CALCIUM 419mg; SODIUM 656mg; FIBER 5.1g; IRON 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 49.5g

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Winter Minestrone

Source: Giada at Food Network

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion -- chopped
2 carrots -- peeled, chopped
2 celery stalks -- chopped
3 ounces thinly-sliced pancetta -- coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves -- minced
1 pound Swiss chard -- stems trimmed, and leaves coarsely chopped
1 russet potato -- peeled, cubed
1 14-ounce can canned diced tomatoes
1 fresh rosemary
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans -- drained, rinsed (I used two)
2 14-ounce cans beef broth
1 ounce Parmesan cheese rind piece
2 tablespoons fresh parsley -- chopped and blanched
Salt -- to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper -- to taste

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, pancetta, and garlic. Saute until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and potato; saute for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and rosemary sprig. Simmer until the chard is wilted and the tomatoes break down, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, blend 3/4 cup of the beans with 1/4 cup of the broth in a processor until almost smooth. Add the pureed bean mixture, remaining broth, and Parmesan cheese rind to the vegetable mixture. Simmer until the potato pieces are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Stir in the whole beans and parsley. Simmer until the beans are heated through and the soup is thick, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Discard Parmesan rind and rosemary sprig (the leaves will have fallen off of the stem.)

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.

Source:
"EVERYDAY ITALIAN with Giada De Laurentiis - (Show # EI-1B02) - from the TV FOOD NETWORK"

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Penne with Pancetta, Spinach, and Buttery Crumb Topping

Source: Cooking Light

8 ounces French bread
Cooking spray
3/4 cup (3 ounces) chopped pancetta
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 ounces)
3 3/4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk, divided
1/4 cup half-and-half
6 cups chopped fresh spinach
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 cups hot cooked penne (about 1 pound uncooked tube-shaped pasta) (I used Barilla
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 4 cups; set aside.

Heat a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat with cooking spray. Add pancetta, onion, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a small bowl; gradually add 3/4 cup milk, stirring until smooth. Add flour mixture, remaining 3 cups milk, and half-and-half to pan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Add spinach; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts.

Place pasta in a large bowl. Add sauce mixture to pasta; toss well. Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine breadcrumbs and butter; toss well. Sprinkle over pasta mixture.

Bake at 425° for 6 minutes or until crumbs are lightly browned.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 505(29% from fat); FAT 16.1g (sat 7.9g,mono 5.6g,poly 1.6g); PROTEIN 19.5g; CHOLESTEROL 37mg; CALCIUM 157mg; SODIUM 893mg; FIBER 3.8g; IRON 3.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 70.8g

Lorrie Hulston Corvin
Cooking Light, MARCH 2007

I talked about this recipe HERE