PANCAKE WITH PANCETTA LEEK AND PARMESAN SERVED WITH LEMON VINAIGRETTE

A nice thick pancake served with Pancetta cooked with leeks and Parmesan cheese and finished with a drizzle of lemon vinaigrette. This recipe could serve 2 big portions but due to the richness of the dish and the dish itself being very filling, i would recommend a serving of four. Basically this is a tarted up version of a ham and cheese pancake, but all the better for it!

THE RECIPE;

4 pancakes

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp of unsalted butter

6 slices Pancetta

50g leek(white and light green part)

25g onion

20g freshly grated Parmesan cheese

3g flat leaf parsley

4 tbsp of double cream

1 clove garlic

A splash of dry vermouth/ noilly prat

1/4 tsp of lemon vinaigrette

GARNISH;

Leaf salad

Lemon vinaigrette

TO MAKE LEMON VINAIGRETTE;

Place 2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice into a shaker or squeeze bottle, add a small pinch of sea salt and shake to dissolve. Now add 5 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, shake again and add a pinch of sugar.

Taste and if required adjust seasoning. A pinch of freshly ground black pepper can be added if desired.

METHOD;

Add the olive oil and butter to a pan once hot add the onion and leek cook for 1 minute add the garlic cook for a further 30 seconds, then add the Pancetta. As the Pancetta starts to cook add a splash of dry vermouth, once the pancetta has crisped a little add the cream and 1/4 of a tsp of lemon vinaigrette, cook for a further minute then add the Parmesan and chopped parsley. Cook for a further 2 minutes and take off the heat.

TO FINISH;

Fold a pancake in half and spoon a 1/4 of the Pancetta filling into the middle, now fold again so that it looks like a little horn, place onto a plate. Dress the salad leaf with lemon vinaigrette and place alongside the pancake and drizzle some vinaigrette around the plate.

A SIMPLE TOMATO SAUCE FOR PASTA

A tomato sauce that uses fresh tomatoes, although 2 decent tins of plum tomatoes can be substituted. This sauce will serve four with pasta.

10 ripe tomatoes medium size(peeled & crushed) This can be done with a potato masher or More fun but very messy is to crush them in the palm of your hands!

2 tbsp fine chopped onion

2 cloves garlic

80-100g pancetta (cubed/diced) or equivalent cured bacon

1.5 tbsp of good olive oil

1 tsp of red wine vinegar

10 torn basil leaves

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

First peel your tomatoes; Make a small star shape incision at the vine end of the tomato, place into a pan of boiling water for 10 seconds, remove from heat, and plunge into iced water to stop the cooking process, your tomatoes will now peel easily! If using tinned tomatoes, there is no need to peel.You will still need to lightly crush.

Heat the oil in a saute pan, then add finely chopped onions. Saute the onions until they start to change colour a little, add pancetta, saute for 2 minutes, then add the garlic, but do not let the garlic colour!

Add your tomatoes to the pan and turn down the heat a little, once the tomatoes take on a sauce consistency add a splash of red wine vinegar.

This sauce should take roughly 30 minutes, at the end of the cooking and off the heat add the torn basil leaves.

Season throughout cooking at intervals - but be aware that the pancetta will provide, an element of salt already, plus a grating of fresh parmasen will add another element of salt.

Once sauce is cooked add your pasta of choice and incorporate, so that the pasta is coated in the tomato sauce. Serve immediately, with a grating of fresh hard cheese such as parmasen.

Note;
Omit the pancetta for a vegetarian tomato sauce. Without the pancetta this sauce is still very good. I have used a pasta called mafaldine with this sauce but others such as spaghetti or penne are all excellent.