Twice Baked Pancetta and Manchego Potatoes

I'm going through a potato kick lately. I just can't get enough of them and I'm not a shamed! Why should I? They are an unsuspected wonder food. A good source of dietary fiber, folate, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and vitamin C. A recent study even stated that eating potatoes twice a day lowers one's blood pressure and, additionally, doesn't cause one to pack on the pounds! They're amazing! (potatoes.org.uk)

With that said here's a recipe for twice baked potatoes with pancetta and Manchego cheese that makes the wonder food a little less healthy, but definitely delicious! They're a step up from the more traditional cheddar and bacon side dish; and absolutely worthy of being the main course!

Twice Baked Pancetta and Manchego Potatoes

Ingredients:

4 medium baking potatoes

2 cups grated Manchego cheese

1/2 cup diced pancetta

6 sliced green onions

1 cup home made sour cream

6 cloves garlic

Pepper to taste

Directions:

Bake potatoes in a 425 degree pre heated oven for 1 hour. In the mean time, cook pancetta in a skillet until the fat is rendered and pancetta becomes crisp and brown. Scoop out pancetta with a slotted spoon and set aside. Dice garlic cloves and cook in the pancetta fat until lightly browned, set aside. 

Once the potatoes are done remove them from the oven and let cool until capable of being handled. Once cooled cut potatoes lengthwise and scoop out inner flesh into bowl, leaving the skins intact. Add 1 1/2 cups cheese, sour cream, onions, pancetta, garlic, and any remaining pancetta fat in the pan to the potato flesh. Mix together with a fork and add pepper to taste. 

Scoop mixture into potatoes skins. Top with remaining cheese and some freshly cracked pepper. Lower oven to 350 degrees and bake the potatoes on a cookie sheet for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and serve.