3479. GEMELLI with BUTTERNUT SQUASH and BACON

yields 4 main course portions or 6 appetizer portions


1/2 medium yellow onion, diced fine
3 tablespoons butter
3 oz bacon, cut into 1/4″ pieces (approx. 2-3 slices of bacon)
1 3/4 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into 1/2″ cubes
1 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb gemelli
3 oz medium aged pecorino cheese, medium grated

Bring a large pot of water (about 6 quarts) to boil for the pasta.

Cut the ends off the squash, cut in half, then peel, either with a peeler or sharp paring knife. Cut in half again, lengthwise, remove the seeds and dice.

Dice the onion and chop up the bacon.

Add the butter to a large saute pan and add the diced onion. Cook over medium heat until golden brown. Add the bacon and cook until it starts to crisp, about 2-3 minutes. 

Add the squash and season with salt and pepper. Add the 1 cup of water, stir to combine and cover with a lid for 8-10 minutes until the squash is soft. Check after 5 minutes and make sure all the water has not cooked away. If it has, and the squash is still hard, add more water in 1/4 cup increments until the squash is soft enough to mash with the back of a spoon.

When the water for the pasta comes to a rolling boil, add 2 tablespoons salt and the pasta. Cook until it is al dente, and before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water. Drain.

Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the sauce, smashing the butternut squash with the back of a large spoon. If it seems too thick, add the other 1/4 cup. Toss the sauce with the cooked pasta and the grated cheese and serve.


bacon recipe source: Kristina Johnson, Former Chef, January 5, 2010; adapted from Thirty Minute Pasta by Giuliano Hazan

3012. GEMELLI with CLAMS, CORN and BACON

makes four servings


2 cans (5 oz. each) whole baby clams
3/4 lb. gemelli
6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1-cm wide strips
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 1 ear)
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup 35% cream
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt and pepper

Drain the clams and reserve the juice.

 

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and coat lightly with olive oil. Set aside.

 

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind. Set the bacon aside.

 

In the same skillet, soften the shallot and garlic in the bacon fat. Add the tomatoes, corn and clams and cook for about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze with the wine, raise the heat to medium-high and reduce until nearly all the liquid has evaporated. Add the clam juice and cream and reduce by half. Add the pasta and parsley and heat through. Adjust the seasoning.

 

Scatter the crisp bacon on top and serve.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Ricardo Cuisine.com

2693. GEMELLI with CAULIFLOWER, BACON and SAGE

serves four


coarse salt and ground pepper
3/4 pound gemelli or other short pasta
5 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, diced small
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Add butter, onions, and garlic to skillet and cook until onions are softened, 10 minutes. Add cauliflower, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is tender, 12 minutes. Stir in bacon and sage and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add cauliflower mixture to pot with pasta. Stir in vinegar and enough pasta water to create a thin sauce that coats pasta. Season with salt and pepper.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Martha Stewart's Everyday Food, March 2012

2612. MUSHROOMS, BACON and SWISS CHARD with GEMELLI

makes eight servings 


2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 thick-cut smoked bacon, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 fresh thyme sprigs 
1 package (340 g) mixed fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup sodium-reduced chicken broth
1 bunch Swiss chard, stemmed and leaves cut in thirds
3/4 cup whipping cream
4 cups gemelli pasta
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook bacon until crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain all but 1 tbsp fat from pan. Add onion and thyme; cook until softened, about 3 minutes.

Stir in mushrooms and half each of the salt and pepper; cook until mushrooms are browned and no liquid remains, about 5 minutes.

Stir in wine, scraping up browned bits. Add chicken broth and Swiss chard; cook until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Stir in cream and remaining salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs.

Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and add to mushroom mixture, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss in half of the Parmesan cheese and enough of the cooking liquid to coat. Top with remaining cheese.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Soo Kim and The Test Kitchen, Canadian Living Magazine, March 2011

2482. GEMELLI with BROCCOLI RABE, BACON and CHICKPEAS

yields four servings


1 pound broccoli rabe, trimmed and coarsely chopped
8 ounces uncooked gemelli pasta
6 slices center-cut bacon
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Add broccoli rabe to pan; cook 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain well. Coarsely chop. Return water to a boil. Add pasta to pan; cook according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl; reserve 3/4 cup pasta water. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan; crumble bacon. Increase heat to medium-high. Add garlic and chickpeas to drippings in pan; sauté 2 minutes or until garlic is golden. Stir in broccoli rabe, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; cook 3 minutes or until broccoli rabe is heated. Stir in pasta, 3/4 cup pasta water, and bacon; toss well.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Marge Perry, Cooking Light, September 2010

1160. FARMERS SAUSAGE with BACON and GEMELLI

serves 6


1/2 lb. gemelli, cooked
1 package frozen peas, thawed
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 bunch spinach, cooked & drained
1 lb. German farmers sausage, sliced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper, to taste
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

In a bowl, place cooked pasta, half of the peas, and melted butter. butter a large baking dish, create a layer of spinach, place pasta and pea mixture evenly over spinach. create a blended mixture of sausage, sour cream, soup and milk. add as next layer. bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, sprinkle with remaining peas and bacon, cook another 8 minutes until bubbly and brown.


courtesy of: World Hearth Circle of International Cooking

987. BAKED GEMELLI with CRIMINI MUSHROOMS, BACON, SAVOY CABBAGE, PEARL ONIONS and FONTINA

makes 4 servings


1 pound gemelli pasta
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoons salt
1/2 tablespoons freshly ground pepper
2 cups milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus 2 tablespoons
3/4 cup grated Fontina cheese
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound thick cut bacon, cubed
1 cup red pearl onions, halved
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 cups Savoy cabbage, chopped
parsley and additional Parmesan for garnish, if desired

Cook pasta according to package directions.

While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large saucepan and stir in flour, salt and pepper, and whisk in milk. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to slightly thicken sauce, for about five minutes. Remove from heat, whisk in cheeses and stir until melted.

Heat olive oil in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook bacon until crispy, then remove and place on paper towels, leaving excess oil in skillet. Add onions to skillet and cook till tender. Add mushrooms and cook, without stirring, for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms become red-brown on one side. Flip mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes more, until other side is same color. Add cabbage and about 2 tablespoons water and steam till soft. Return bacon to skillet, stir in sauce and cook till hot.

Add cooked, drained pasta to skillet and stir. Transfer mixture to an oven-proof dish, top with 2 tablespoons Parmesan and bake until sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes.

Serve garnished with parsley and additional Parmesan, if desired.


courtesy of: Tom Colicchio, head chef/owner of Craft Restaurants / The Mushroom Council

807. LAYERED SUMMERTIME SALAD with BACON and GEMELLI PASTA

makes 10 to 12 servings


2 cups uncooked gemelli (twist) pasta (8 ounces)
8 medium green onions, sliced (1/2 cup)
4 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese (2 ounces)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 cups bite-size pieces salad greens
1 cup snow (Chinese) pea pods, cut in half
1 cup sliced cauliflower florets
1 cup broccoli florets
1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)

Cook pasta as directed on package; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain. In medium bowl, mix pasta, onions and half of the bacon. In small bowl, mix mayonnaise, cheese, lemon juice, sugar and garlic powder. In 3 1/2-quart salad bowl, layer salad greens, pasta mixture, pea pods, cauliflower, broccoli and bell pepper. Pour mayonnaise mixture evenly over top. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Sprinkle with remaining bacon just before serving.


courtesy of: Betty Crocker, General Mills, Inc., P.O. Box 9452, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440

758. GEMELLI with ZUCCHINI, TOMATOES, and BACON

makes 6 servings


12 bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 large red onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
12 ounces gemelli or rotini (about 3 cups)
3 slender zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide pieces
3 large plum tomatoes, seeded, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/3 cup chopped fresh oregano
1 cup crumbled soft fresh goat cheese (about 4 ounces)

Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until brown and crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add wine; boil until reduced by 1/3, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until slightly underdone. Add zucchini and boil until pasta is tender but still firm to bite and zucchini is crisp-tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes longer. Drain.

Add pasta, zucchini, bacon, tomatoes, and oregano to onion in skillet. Toss over medium-high heat until sauce coats pasta, about 3 minutes. Add cheese and toss until beginning to melt, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

NOTE: To seed a plum tomato, simply slice the tomato in half horizontally and gently squeeze out the seeds, using a spoon if necessary.


courtesy of: Bon Appétit, September 2004