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Pancetta-Wrapped Mushrooms

Source of Recipe


Sunset magazine






List of Ingredients



• 24 mushrooms (with 1-inch wide caps), rinsed and patted dry
  
• Salt and fresh-ground pepper
  
• 24 fresh sage leaves, rinsed and patted dry
  
• 24 thin slices pancetta (see notes), or 12 strips thin-sliced bacon
  






Instructions



1. Trim and discard tough or discolored stem ends from mushrooms. Sprinkle mushrooms lightly all over with salt and pepper.
   
   
2. Lay a sage leaf over the top of each mushroom, then wrap mushroom and sage leaf with pancetta. (If using regular bacon, cut each strip in half to form 2 shorter strips, and wrap each mushroom with a short strip.) If desired, leave tip of sage leaf protruding from wrapping. Spear mushroom with a toothpick, securing outer end of pancetta and leaving toothpick protruding to use for serving.
   
   
3. Evenly space the wrapped mushrooms in a 10 x 15-inch nonstick baking pan. Bake in a 400° F oven until most of the pancetta is crisp and browned, about 25 minutes (see notes). Serve hot, leaving toothpicks in.
   
   Makes 24 appetizers
   (4 to 6 servings)
   
   ............................
   
   NOTES
   
   • Pancetta, an Italian bacon that is cured but not smoked, is available in well-stocked supermarkets and in specialty-food stores. If you can't find it, substitute thin slices of regular bacon.
   
   • You can wrap the mushrooms in the pancetta (through Step 2) up to 2 days ahead; cover and chill. Allow an extra 5 minutes for baking the chilled mushrooms.