Pancetta, ground beef, onion, shredded potato, and diced chicken livers combine with macaroni and Fontina cheese to make this Italian favorite.
Recipe makes 6 servings.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, finely diced
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
- 8 ounces extra lean ground beef
- 4 ounces chicken livers, trimmed and chopped
- 1 medium potato, finely shredded
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 cup beef stock or water
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 8 ounces coarse grated Fontina cheese
- 1 pound dried macaroni
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve (optional)
Directions
- Heat a saucepan and add pancetta or bacon.
- Brown over medium heat for 3to 4 minutes in its own grease.
- Add onion, carrot, and celery and brown another 5 minutes.
- Stir in ground beef and brown over high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.
- Stir in chicken livers and cook 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add shredded potato and tomato paste.
- Mix well, and pour in wine and stock. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Bring to a boil, half-cover, and simmer 35 minutes until reduced and thickened, stirring occasionally.
- Mix in the Fontina cheese. Stir constantly for 2 minutes till cheese melts.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling salted water until tender. Drain well and toss with sauce. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if you wish.
Helpful Tip
Pancetta is Italian bacon that is dry cured with salt, pepper, and spices. Pancetta is not smoked. Unlike English and American bacon that is smoked, and is usually sliced, pancetta is salt-cured and not smoked. Generally, pancetta is sold rolled up into sausage shapes.