Pancetta Cups with Apples and Blue

preparation

Preparation

1. Preheat an oven to 400ºF (200ºC).

Pancetta Cups:

2. Turn a mini muffin tin upside down, carefully 2 nestle pancetta rounds on top of each cup to create a ‘bowl’. Place second muffin tin on top and press lightly to form the ‘cups’. This method helps keep the pancetta from shrinking while it bakes.

3. Be sure to bake with tins sitting up or you’ll have a smoky mess in your oven!

4. Bake for 15 minutes or until crisp. Remove from oven and when pan is cool enough to handle, remove from tin and place cups on paper towels to drain. Set aside until ready to fill.

Apples:

5. In a medium bowl combine apples and lemon juice; set aside. In a large non-stick skillet add butter and sugar, cook over medium-high heat.

6. When mixture begins to bubble and brown (approximately 5-7 minutes); add apples and five spice power.

7. Quickly sauté until apples begin to soften slightly.

8. Remove from heat and cool until ready to assemble cups.

9. Using a small spoon fill each pancetta cup with apples, top with pieces of Smoked Gorgonzola Cheese and serve