Penne Rustica

Our next cooking adventure is set in Italy! Well, our kitchen is not that far away, but the food sure is good. Penne Rustica is a popular dish that offers many different variations and a great foundation for adding your own twists. We chose to take a more traditional approach, a variation very similar to the one offered at Macaroni Grill. This is a great dish to make for a lot of people, it is wonderfully rich and filling!


Ingredients:

This makes a lot, enough for 15, so cut it back for smaller groups
We decided to cut it by 1/3, for 5 people.

Gratinata sauce

• 2 teaspoons butter
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 1n teaspoon dijon
• 1 teaspoon dill
• 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
• 1 cup marsala wine
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 8 cups heavy cream

Penne Rustica

• 1 ounce bacon
• 18 shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 12 ounces grilled chicken breasts, sliced
• 20 ounces penne pasta, cooked
• 6 ounces butter
• 1 teaspoon chopped shallot
• 1 pinch salt and pepper
• 1 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 6 sprigs fresh rosemary

Directions

1. For Gratinata Sauce: Saute butter, garlic, and rosemary until garlic begins to brown.
2. Add Marsala wine and reduce by one-third.
3. Add remaining ingredients, reduce by half of the original volume.
4. Set aside.
5. For Penne Rustica: Saute bacon until it begins to brown.
6. Add butter, shallots, and shrimp.
7. Cook until shrimp are evenly pink but still translucent.
8. Add chicken, salt, pepper, and mix thoroughly.
9. Add gratinata sauce and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.
10. Simmer until sauce thickens.
11. In a large bowl, combine shrimp& chicken mixture with the cooked pasta.
12. Pour into a large casserole dish or roaster.
13. Top with remaining cheese, pimientos and sprinkle with paprika.
14. Bake at 475 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.
15. Remove and garnish with fresh rosemary sprig.