Email to Cat      

Twice-Baked Potatoes with Pancetta Stuffing

Source of Recipe


From "Stonewall Kitchen Favorites"



List of Ingredients



• 2¾ pounds (about 4 large) baking potatoes
  
• 5 slices thinly sliced pancetta, or thick slab bacon
  
• ¾ cup sour cream
  
• ½ cup plus 1/3 cup crumbled good-quality blue cheese
  
• ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp milk
  
• 4 scallions (white and green parts), finely chopped
  
• 2 Tbsp minced chives
  
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  






Instructions



1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 400° F.
   
   
2. Poke several holes in the potatoes and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 1 hour, or until just soft when pierced with a small, sharp knife. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.
   
   
3. Meanwhile, cook the pancetta (or bacon) in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp on both sides, 10 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat. Remove and drain on paper towels. Crumble the pancetta and set aside.
   
   
4. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and, using a small spoon, remove the flesh from each potato half, leaving the skin intact to act later as a container for the filling. Place the potato flesh in a small bowl and mash it up with a fork or potato masher. Add the sour cream, ½ cup of the blue cheese, the milk, scallions, chives, half of the pancetta, the olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
   
   
5. Place the potato skins in a large, shallow baking dish. Spoon the filling back into the potato shells, mounding it up. Top each potato half with some of the remaining pancetta and blue cheese. Sprinkle the top with a good grinding of pepper. (The dish can be covered and refrigerated for several hours before baking.) Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the stuffing is hot throughout.
   
   Serves 4 to 8