Giada Spinach Panchetta Strata Recipes

GIADA'S SPINACH AND PANCETTA STRATA YUMMY!

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and sauté until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a bowl.
• Add the onion to the pan drippings in the same skillet and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach and garlic. Sauté over medium-low heat until the garlic is tender, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, nutmeg, and the cooked pancetta.
• Place half of the bread cubes in a buttered 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the bread, then top with half of the spinach mixture. Repeat layering.
• Whisk the milk, eggs, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl and pour evenly over the strata.
• Chill the strata, covered with plastic wrap, at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake strata uncovered until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

SHELLS WITH CRISPY PANCETTA AND SPINACH - GIADA DE LAURENTIIS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Shells:.
• Boil large pot of salted water over high heat.
• Add pasta and cook until tender but firm to bite, 8-10 minutes.
• Drain pasta.
• Warm olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.
• Add pancetta, cook until lightly golden, about 5 minutes.
• Remove pancetta with slotted spoon to large bowl, let cool.
• Add spinach, ricotta and asiago cheeses, pepper and nutmeg to bowl.
• Stir to combine.
• Stuff shells with about 2 TBS. of spinach mixture.
• Place shells in large buttered baking dish.
• Sauce:.
• Melt butter in medium saucepan.
• Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Add cream and simmer.
• Turn heat to very low and add 2 cups of asiago cheese, parsley, and pepper.
• Stir until cheese is melted.
• Pour sauce over shells.
• Top with remaining 1/4 cup asiago cheese.
• Bake until golden on top, about 25 minutes.
• Remove and serve immediately.

GRUYERE AND SPINACH BAKES

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Spray four 10-ounce ramekins with vegetable oil cooking spray.
• Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a medium skillet. Add the pancetta and cook until browned, about 6 minutes. Remove the pancetta using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add the shallots, salt and pepper in the same skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until soft, about 3 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the cooked pancetta, shallots, bread, eggs, spinach, gruyere and milk until all the ingredients are moistened.
• Spoon the mixture into the ramekins. Place the ramekins on a small baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
• Cool the ramekins for 20 minutes. Using a paring knife, loosen the edges of the ramekins and unmold onto serving plates. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SHELLS WITH CRISPY PANCETTA AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the shells:
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
• Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large bowl. Add the spinach, ricotta cheese, asiago cheese, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Stuff the shells with about 2 tablespoons of the spinach mixture each and place the stuffed shells in a large, buttered baking dish.
• For the sauce:
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to very low and add the 2 cups asiago cheese, parsley, and pepper. Stir until the cheese is dissolved. Pour the sauce over the shells. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup asiago cheese. Bake until golden on top, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

SPINACH LOAF

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-5-inch nonstick loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Place the eggs and milk in a large bowl. Add the bread and stir to combine.
• Heat the butter in a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper and cook until soft, about 6 minutes. In batches, add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 15 minutes. Drain in a colander. Press gently on top of the spinach to release excess moisture. Set aside to cool slightly. Transfer the spinach mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the spinach into the bowl with the bread mixture. Add 3/4 cup of the Parmesan, the remaining salt and pepper and the nutmeg. Stir until smooth.
• Spread half of the mixture on the bottom of the prepared pan. Lay the hard boiled eggs, end-to-end, in a line along the center of the spinach mixture. Add the remaining spinach mixture on top and press gently. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan on top and bake for 1 hour. Cool 15 minutes, then run a thin metal spatula around the edges of the pan to release the loaf. Invert the loaf onto a cutting board, remove the parchment paper, and cut into slices.

SPINACH AND CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Squeeze handfuls of spinach to remove as much liquid as possible, then finely chop.
• Cook onion in butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in spinach, then remove from heat.
• Spread one third of bread cubes in a buttered 3-quart gratin dish or other shallow ceramic baking dish and top evenly with one third of spinach mixture. Sprinkle with one third of each cheese. Repeat layering twice (ending with cheeses).
• Whisk together milk, eggs, mustard, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and pour evenly over strata. Chill strata, covered with plastic wrap, at least 8 hours (for bread to absorb custard).
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Let strata stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
• Bake strata, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.