Pancetta Parmesan Puffs

I have to say I was a bit scared at first to try this recipe, mostly because it involves a rough version of choux pastry, albeit with less eggs and definitely less work. Still, I can confirm this is the easiest and tastiest little snack you can try. If you have a piping bag and a big nozzle, then pipe the little balls. If you don’t, then I’m sure two teaspoons will do just as good. This recipe is from Lorraine Pascale’s Fast, Fresh and Easy Food.

 

Ingredients

• 50g butter
• 125ml milk
• 70g pancetta cubes
• oil
• 30g Parmesan cheese, grated
• 75g plain flour
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• pinch of salt
• 2 eggs

Method

1. Line two baking trays with baking parchment.
2. In a frying pan, drizzle some oil and fry the pancetta cubes until golden and crispy. Drain using a slotted spoon, then set aside on a piece of kitchen paper to dry the excess oil. Chop finely once cooled.
3. Put the butter and the milk in a pan over a medium heat and bring to the boil.
4. Take off the heat and tip in the flour, Parmesan cheese, salt and chilli powder, then mix all together using a wooden spoon. Keep on mixing until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan.
5. Tip the mixture into a big bowl and spread it with the back of the spoon. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes.
6. Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius.
7. Break the first egg into the bowl and combine it with the wooden spoon. Don’t worry at first if the mixture looks like a lumpy mess, keep on stirring and eventually you’ll get a smooth mixture. Repeat with the other egg.
8. Once the mixture is smooth and all combined, add the pancetta and mix thoroughly to combine.
9. Tip the mixture into a piping bag and pipe small blobs on the baking parchments, keeping them fairly apart as they will increase in volume during baking.
10. Bake for 25 minutes, by which they all should have puffed up nicely and turned a golden colour.
11. Take out of the oven and leave to cool slightly, then tip on to a serving plate and enjoy!

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