100 Ways To Be Pasta Perfect Pasta Recipes From Gangivecchio

Paolo's Pennette with Fresh Figs and Pancetta Pennette con Fichi e Pancetta di Paolo Serves 6 This is a recipe my brother invented, inspired from the fact that every day during the fall he walks out of his apartment at Gangivecchio to see the tons of fresh figs that have dropped off the two giant trees in the center of our courtyard. It's nice to serve this pasta with an additional whole fig, cut in quarters so that it opens like a flower with the contrast of the green peel and the red condimento. 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 medium white onion, finely chopped 1/4 pound pancetta (or bacon), cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 pounds fresh figs, peeled and diced 1/2 cup dry red wine Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 pound pennette Freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until is is hot but not smoking. Add the onions and saute for a few minutes until they begin to soften. Add the pancetta and cook until the pancetta and the onions are golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the figs and the wine and simmer just to soften the figs, about 5 minutes; don't cook the figs so long that they fall apart completely. Season with salt and pepper to taste and turn off the heat. 2. Meanwhile, bring a big saucepan of water to boil. Stir in a small fistful of salt and the pennette and cook until it is tender. Reserve a cupful of the pasta water and drain the pasta in a colander. 3. Quickly transfer the pasta to the pan with the figs and place over high heat. Add a splash of pasta water, stir gently to mix the condimento and pasta together, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, adding more pasta water if the pasta is dry or sticky. Serve hot with freshly grated Parmesan cheese at the table.Tornabene, Wanda is the author of '100 Ways To Be Pasta Perfect Pasta Recipes From Gangivecchio', published 2005 under ISBN 9781400041046 and ISBN 140004104X.