Help an Irish guy with Italian food...

[ChefBilly]

I got some pancetta. I tried a piece of it and thought it was kind of gross.
I looked it up online, and I now see that it's sort of an Italian bacon type of thing.

My question: Am I supposed to cook it like bacon? Or is it supposed to be used like a cold cut similar to, say, ham.

Thanks!

 

[CEDmom]

I'm not Italian but I do watch food tv. Whenever I've seen pancetta used it's been chopped up and sauted and then added to something or used as the base for something. I don't like mushrooms but I bet if you sauted the pancetta with onions and other seasonings it would make a nice base for stuffed mushrooms.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Looks like you use it as an ingredient in other dishes.........

I'd ask Marie, as another Irish guy here asking an Italian, but she is on the phone.

http://italianfood.about.com/library/rec/blr0697.htm

 

[Margie J]

Here a recipe using pancetta for you to try:




PENNE WITH PANCETTA
From Spoodles Restaurant

4 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 medium onions diced
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
3 (14 ounce) cans whole tomatoes, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 ounces of cooked penne
Garnishes: Shaved Romano or Parmesan Cheese, Minced Fresh Chives

COOK pancetta or bacon in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat
until crisp; drain pancetta on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon
drippings in pan.
SAUTE onion in hot drippings 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, and saute
2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, salt, and red and black pepper, cook
stirring occasionally 10 minutes or until thickened. Add pasta and
cook until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with the pancetta or bacon and
serve with a crusty bread. Garnish with the Cheese and Chives if you wish.
Yield 4 Servings. Prep. 20 minutes Cook 20 minutes.

 

[phillybeth]

Pancetta is unsmoked bacon, so it is not cooked or cured in any way and shouldn't be eaten raw. I can imagine that it would be pretty nasty uncooked!

 

[Margie J]

..... and another recipe:


Pasta with Pancetta, Artichokes and Olives
Swan & Dolphin
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1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Oz. Pancetta, Diced Finely
15 Canned or Marinated Baby Artichokes, halved
2 Tsp. Minced Fresh Garlic
2 Lbs. Roma Tomatoes, Diced
1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
1/4 Cup Sliced Black Olives
2 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Rosemary
1/4 Tsp. Crushed Red Pepper
1/4 Cup Chopped Italian Parsley
1 Lb. Perciatelli or Fettuccine Pasta
Kosher Salt to taste
6 Sprigs of Rosemary for Garnish

_
METHOD
In a large skillet over medium high heat sauté pancetta for about 5 minutes or until evenly browned. Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds more, stirring constantly. Then add cooked pasta, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, rosemary and crushed red pepper. Simmer over medium low heat, Stirring occasionally for 4 to 5 minutes, or until piping hot. Stir in parsley. Serve immediately.

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