Penne With Pancetta Pecorino And Black Pepper Recipes

SPAGHETTI WITH PECORINO AND BLACK PEPPER

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water. Drain pasta; return to pot.
• To pasta in pot, add 1 cup reserved pasta water. Gradually add 1 cup Pecorino, tossing constantly with tongs until cheese is melted; add pepper. Toss to coat pasta lightly; if desired, gradually add a little more pasta water to thin. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese, and serve immediately.

PASTA WITH PECORINO AND PEPPER

Steps:

• Place the peppercorns in a mortar and pestle and crush them until you have a mixture of coarse and fine bits. (You can also grind them in a small food mill or coffee grinder.) Set aside.
• Fill a large, heavy-bottomed pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package until al dente. Ladle 1 cup of the pasta cooking water into a glass measuring cup and reserve it. Drain the pasta quickly in a colander and return the pasta to the pot with a lot of the pasta water still dripping.
• Working quickly, with the heat on very low, toss the pasta with 1/2 cup of the grated Pecorino, the crushed peppercorns, cream, butter, parsley, and 1 teaspoon salt, tossing constantly. If the pasta seems dry, add some of the reserved cooking water. Off the heat, toss in the remaining 1/2 cup Pecorino. Serve immediately with a big bowl of extra grated Pecorino for sprinkling.

PENNE PECORINO

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the penne according to package directions in lightly salted water. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
• Increase the heat under the skillet to medium-high and stir the cooked penne and reserved pasta water into the skillet. Let the sauce simmer and reduce until it thickens, for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the grated cheese until partially melted.
• Top with freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.

PENNE WITH PANCETTA, PECORINO, AND BLACK PEPPER

Steps:

• 1 In a skillet large enough to hold all of the cooked pasta, heat the lard or olive oil over medium heat. Add the guanciale or pancetta, and cook, stirring frequently, 10 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. 2 Bring at least 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, then the pasta. Stir well. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente, tender yet still firm to the bite. Set aside some of the cooking water. Drain the pasta. 3 Pour the pasta into the skillet and toss it with the cheese, pepper, and a couple of tablespoons of the water until the pasta is well coated. Serve immediately with more pepper, if desired. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

PENNE WITH ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH, PANCETTA, AND SAGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place butternut squash on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil; season with salt. Transfer to oven and roast until squash is browned and tender, about 15 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt water and return to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Set pasta and reserved cooking liquid aside.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add pancetta and cook until just crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Add shallots, crushed red pepper, and sage. Cook until shallots are soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add penne and squash and toss gently, adding reserved pasta cooking liquid as necessary to moisten.
• Add cheese and black pepper and cook, tossing gently, until pasta and squash are heated through. Serve immediately with more grated cheese, if desired.

BUCATINI WITH TOMATOES, PANCETTA, AND HOT PEPPER

Steps:

• 1 Pour the oil into a skillet large enough to hold all of the cooked pasta. Add the pancetta, onion, and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat, until the pancetta and onion are golden, about 12 minutes. 2 Add the wine and bring to a simmer. 3 Stir in the tomatoes and salt to taste. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 25 minutes. 4 Bring at least 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, then the pasta. Stir well. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente, tender yet still firm to the bite. Set aside some of the cooking water. Drain the pasta. 5 Pour the pasta into the pan with the sauce. Toss the pasta and sauce together over high heat about 1 minute, or until the pasta is coated. Add a little cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Remove from the heat. Add the cheese and toss well. Serve immediately. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.