19 Jun Eat in Vintage-Style with Nikki!

June’s Dish is brought to you by ClearPath’s own Nikki French! 

In her spare time, Nikki enjoys interior and graphic design. She also enjoys learning all she can to expand her knowledge about new advancements in computer technology.

Her favorite place to eat? Cap City Fine Diner! She enjoys the vintage diner look and who could resist their delicious Blue Cheese Chips?!

Nikki brings to the table Penne Rustica, which can be made vegetarian friendly and STILL taste amazing! This recipe is perfect for those rare nights where you are kid-free and can trade in the juice boxes and homework discussions for a glass of wine and friendly banter. Check out the recipe below!

Gratinata Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons marsala wine
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 pound penne rigate pasta, cooked
• 12 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 skinless chicken breast fillets
• 1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) thick-sliced smoked prosciutto, chopped

Topping Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

Garnish:

• 12 Sliced Pimentos
• 4 Sprigs Rosemary

1. Preheat barbecue grill to high.
2. Prepare gratinata sauce by melting 3 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat. Add garlic and sweat it for about 5 minutes. Be sure the garlic doesn’t brown. Add the marsala wine and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients for the sauce and whisk well until smooth. Bring mixture to a simmer and keep it there for 10 minutes or until it’s thick. Cover sauce and remove it from the heat.
3. Cook pasta following directions on the package (7-9 minutes in boiling water). You want the pasta tender, but not mushy (al dente). Strain pasta and set it aside when it’s done.
4. Pound the thick end of your chicken breats a bit with a kitchen mallet to make them a uniform thickness. Rub chicken with olive oil, then sprinkle on a bit of salt and pepper. Spear the shrimp on skewers (6 per skewer should work fine), then rub them with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Grill chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side. Grill shrimp for 2 minutes per side. When chicken is done, slice each breast into strips.
6. Preheat over to 500 degrees F. Build each dish in a large, shallow baking dish. Or you can use a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate. Load 3 cups of pasta into each baking dish. Add one-quarter of the chicken, 3 shrimp and 2 tablespoons of prosciutto onto each serving. Spoon 3/4 of a cup of gratinata sauce on each serving and toss to coat. Combine 3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese with 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, then sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of this mixture over the top of each serving. Bake the dishes for 10-12 minutes, or until tops being to brown. Arrange 3 pimentos on the top of each serving, then jab a sprig of rosemary into the center and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Thanks Nikki!