Pancetta Pasta with Crème Fraîche

So last night I made pasta with some of the items we had laying around the house.  I used crème fraîche, asparagus, pancetta and tomato. Mmmmmmmm

It turned out pretty damn good if I do say so myself.

I have to admit, I’m becoming a HUGE fan of pasta mixed with a little cooking water and crème fraîche.  It gives it a creamy taste without all the heavy cream and cheese.  You don’t need to go to the specialty store to find crème fraîche since it’s available at most grocery stores now; even our soviet acme down the street has it!  I’ve found that most brands taste the same so pick up whatever floats your boat.

You should also be able to find the pancetta in your grocery store.  It can come pre-packaged diced or you can buy the slices and dice it yourself.  If you can’t find the diced the best way to dice up the slices is to pop them in the freezer for a few minutes, then chop as usual.

If you don’t like pancetta you can use regular bacon or leave it out all together for a vegetarian friendly meal.

Ingredients

1 pkg     Diced Pancetta

1 pkg     Fresh Asparagus, sliced on the biased
5-10      Quartered Cherry Tomatoes
1 tbs      Minced Garlic
2 c         Pasta
½ c        Crème Fraîche
2 tbs      Pasta Cooking Water
Salt
Pepper

In a large stock pot, boil your water and prepare pasta as per package instructions.

Heat a large sauté pan on medium high. Add the pancetta and sauté for about 1 – 2 minutes, then add in your asparagus. Sauté until the asparagus is fork tender and bright green.  Add in your garlic and tomatoes.

 

**Omit the pancetta and add a little olive or for a vegetarian friendly meal.**

When pasta is cooked to your preference, reserve 2 tablespoons of the cooking water.  Drain the pasta and add with the cooking water to the pan with the pancetta, asparagus, garlic and tomatoes.  Now add in your crème fraîche and the salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.

This would also be good with some fresh herbs added in as well. 

Tuna Tartare and Spinach Cups

Another weekend passed and yet again we were able to get the block together for Friday night apps.  This week I made spinach dip bites and Tuna Tartare.  Bill being the wonder man that he is ran to the market for me on his way home.

The spinach bites are pretty easy so I am not going to include that recipe.  They are basically just the Knorr Spinach Dip recipe with a few extras like green onions and mozzarella cheese.  Put them into wonton cups and bake until the cups are crisp.   

Now the tuna tartar… ahh that recipe is below.  It’s fresh with just a little hit of heat and sweet. I have seen a lot of different recipes for this but sometimes what is in them just does not sound appetizing to me so I have pulled from various recipes and created my own.

Easy Tuna Tartare

Sharp Knife
1 lb Sushi Grade Tuna
1 avocado, diced
1 tsp Chopped Cilantro

For the Sauce

3 tbs Soy Sauce
2 tbs Sweet Chile Sauce
1 tbs Rice Vinegar
2 tbs Siracha
2 tbs Sesame Oil
1 tbs Minced Ginger
2 tbss Mayonnaise
 
Cutting the Tuna
Cut against the grain. Holding the knife at an angle and try to make slices about 1/4 inch thick.  Next you want to cut with the grain into small bite size cubes. Place the tuna in a large bowl

Dicing the Avocado

Using a sharp chef's knife, slice through the avocado lengthwise until you feel the knife hit the pit. Then rotate the avocado to make a cut all around the pit. Twist the two halves apart.

Take your knife and whack the pit of the avocado, twist the knife to pull out the pit. Then score lines about ¼ inch part without breaking the skin of the avocado. Then slice diagonally to create little squares like a grid. Scoop out with a spoon into the bowl with the tuna.

For the Sauce

Combine all of the ingredients above in a bowl and whisk until combined. Pour over the tuna and avocado mixture; add the cilantro stir gently until combined.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to combine.