Perline Pasta Purses with Mushrooms, Pancetta and Marsala

I had to do some juggling with this week's menu. A couple of items I'd planned to purchase on our usual Saturday shopping got nixed because they weren't up to snuff quality wise. Like most everyone these days we're on a budget so I make up our menus for the week in advance along with a shopping list to include items I find in the sale flyers that come in Tuesday's mail. When the goods just don't look so good in the store, I sometimes need to come up with a plan "B".

I try not to hit the stores on impulse because I just end up spending way too much and often on something we can do without. I find it's better to follow a list and stick with the original ingredients just come up with something different. Unfortunately our house doesn't have a pantry in the kitchen and there's limited storage elsewhere so I really need to be organized and imaginative too.

Plan B last night included some Perline Pasta from Trader Joe's refrigerator section served in a fresh mushroom, onion, garlic and marsala cream sauce. I'd originally planned to use the pasta in a chicken meatball soup, but the market wanted the whopping price of $5.99 a pound for ground chicken and I wasn't about to part with the sheckles. Too lazy to grind my own, Plan "B" turned out to be a fabulous alternative - of course, how can you go wrong with any of the ingredients. I mean really!

Served with a tossed salad on the side, it made for a quick and tasty weeknight dinner. By the way, it really is all about the sauce, so just about any pasta will do. Try this with spinach ravioli, or penne' - it would be great!

As for today, I'm sitting here looking at this week's flyers and working on some new ideas to "wow" ya' for the next week. Trouble is I'm feeling rather uninspired at the moment, so I'm going to grab a cup of coffee and a couple of cookbooks and we'll see what happens. Hope you have a great day everyone!

Perline Pasta Purses with Pancetta, Mushrooms and Marsala (from JBug’s Kitchen)

Sauce:

4 ounces pancetta, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups mushrooms, cut into wedges

1/2 cup dry Marsala wine (or dry sherry)

3/4 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Coarse ground black pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Pasta cooking water as needed

 

1 – 10 ounce package Perline Pasta or Tortellini, Ravioli or dry pasta cooked per package directions

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat and cook pancetta until crisp. Remove from pan, add olive oil and when shimmering, add onions. Cook until onions are softened, stirring constantly. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add mushrooms and sauté until just starting to brown. Stir in Marsala wine, decrease heat to simmer and cook until Marsala wine is almost completely reduced. Stir in cream and cook until starting to thicken. 

Add basil, parsley, black pepper, cooked pasta, parmesan cheese and reserved cooked pancetta and toss to coat pasta well with sauce for 2 to 3 minutes. Add pasta cooking water as needed to make a creamy consistency. Serve with additional black pepper and cheese.  Makes 3 to 4 servings.

A year ago - Lemon Gelato     Two year's ago - Oven Roasted Chicken on Croutons

Comments

[Lea]

What are those little purses stuffed with? This looks like something WIlliam and I would devour - I found some gluten-free pasta - and it is really good stuff - gonna try out this fabulous looking sauce soon! - As soon as I head to the store with a handy list - hehehehe

I know you will plan some fabulous meals - you always do, my friend! I'll have a cuppa joe here and send you some inspiration!

[June]

Good morning Lea! Just received your inspiration, but I'm still waiting for a cuppa your joe - tee,hee. The pasta purses are filled with prosciutto and are really wonderful tiny flavorful little iddy biddy's. It's a good gluten free sauce and perfect for you.

[Lorraine]

I love this kind of sauce...the kind that would make a baseball cap taste great. The combination of pancetta, mushrooms, marsala and cream is so yum!

[June]

So true Lorraine. I make it a lot to go with just about anything!