INGREDIENTS
20 Brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1⁄2 cup finely diced pancetta
3 cloves roasted garlic, coarsely chopped*
Freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste
DIRECTIONS
Prepare oven according to Mugnaini’s Medium Roasting Environment, 550 – 625˚F
Prepare a pot of boiling salted water and a bowl of ice water. Rinse the Brussels sprouts, remove any yellow outer leaves, and trim stem. Place Brussels sprouts in boiling water and cook for 3 minutes (or 4 minutes for large Brussels sprouts). Remove, drain, and set in ice water; once cool, drain again.
Slice Brussels sprouts in half and place on a sheet pan. Drizzle with oil and then add the pancetta and garlic; toss well to coat. Set in the wood-burning oven and roast for about 10 minutes, or until tender and lightly browned. Remove; add salt and pepper to taste.
*To roast the garlic, cut the top from a whole head of garlic (or more if you wish). Set in a small terra-cotta dish, drizzle with olive oil, add 1 tablespoon water, and cover. Set in the oven and roast for about 20 minutes, or until light caramel in color and soft (or, alternately, do the same with foil instead of a dish).
