penne rustica!!!!

HOLY COW! If you've been to Macaroni Grill and ordered their Penne Rustica and LOVED IT like everyone else I know who has too, then copy this one down! It's a keeper and it's PERFECT!!!

I can't believe I found this recipe! It's my favorite restaurant dish, probably of all time! I followed the recipe from Top Secret Recipes, but then swapped this and that for the recipe at The Restaurant Recipe Blog.

I made this special recipe for our 10th Wedding Anniversary! We made it a special night for the whole family. We all dressed nice for dinner, had some italian sodas, Caesar Salad, italian bread, followed by our main course of PENNE RUSTICA, and then ended the night with some Oreo Pie (store-bought - I had to take a shortcut SOMEWHERE with a main dish like this!).

**Warning: This recipe is VERY involved, but VERY delicious and worth every minute, if you have the minutes to make it happen!

INGREDIENTS:

Penne Rustica

1 lb. penne regata pasta, cooked and drained
1/2- 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (original recipe only calls for 12 shrimp but we love shrimp so I added more)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast filets
1/2 c. (approx. 2 oz.) thick-sliced smoked prosciutto, chopped I didn't think this would give the right flavor so I used pancetta instead, and glad I did. You could also use SMOKED bacon.
salt and pepper
skewers

Gratinata Sauce

3 T. butter

2 T. minced garlic

3 T. marsala wine I substituted the wine for more chicken broth, still was perfect

2 c. heavy cream

1 c. grated parmesan cheese

1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. chicken broth

1 T. corn starch

1 T. Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard I didn't have any so I used Spicy Brown Mustard, no problem

2 t. minced fresh rosemary (I think this is one of the secrets to the perfection of this recipe, don't skimp!)

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. minced fresh thyme (I did cheat here and used 1/4 t. dried thyme, forgot to get fresh at the store)

1/4 t. ground cayenne pepper

Topping

3 T. grated parmesan cheese

1 1/2 t. paprika

Garnish

12 sliced pimientos We don't care for these, so I saved myself the cost and time of picking them off

4 sprigs fresh rosemary

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions for "al dente", which is usually 7-9 minutes in boiling water. Strain pasta and set it aside when its done.

2. Pound the thick end of your chicken breasts a bit to make them a uniform thickness. Rub chicken with olive oil, then sprinkle on a bit of salt and pepper. Spear shrimp on skewers (6 per skewer should work fine), then rub them with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Preheat grill to medium/high.
 
4. Saute pancetta until it begins to brown. Remove from pan and drain off fat. Set aside. Wipe out skillet and use it to make the Gratinata Sauce.


5. Prepare Gratinata Sauce by melting 3 T. butter in medium saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and sweat it for about 5 minutes. (Be sure the garlic doesn't brown.) Add 3 T. marsala wine chicken broth 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 in there for 10 minutes, or until it's thick. Cover sauce and remove from heat.

6.Grill chicken for 5-6 minutes per side. Grill shrimp for 2 minutes per side. When chicken is done, slice each breast into strips.

7. In a large bowl, combine precooked pasta, chicken, shrimp, and pancetta. Pour Gratinata Sauce on top and stir to combine. Place this mixture into single serving dishes or one 9x13casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese and pimentos and sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 475 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. Remove and garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs.

Note: This warms up well for leftovers, but if you don't want to eat it for the rest of the week (why would you NOT want to?!), split the recipe between 2 8x8 pans, and freeze one for another time.