Pancetta Pea Pasta
A rich-flavored and creamy dish, this pancetta pea pasta is made with meaty pancetta, pasta, peas, and cheese. It makes a tasty, cozy treat at dinnertime for all the family.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 8 Ounces shell pasta uncooked
- 8 Ounces pancetta ¼-inch diced
- 2 Cloves garlic chopped
- 1 Tablespoon yellow onion finely diced
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 Cup peas frozen peas, thawed
- 1 ½ Cups heavy cream
- ½ Cup parmesan cheese finely shredded plus more for serving
- ¼ Teaspoon black pepper ground
- parsley fresh chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot with lightly salted water, cook the pasta as directed on the package (approximately 8 minutes once the water is boiling). Once the pasta is cooked, remove 1 cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and place it in a small bowl.
- In a large skillet, heat over medium/high heat, add the pancetta and cook for about 5 minutes until the pieces start to crisp. Remove the pancetta from the pan to drain, and set aside in a small bowl.
- In the same skillet, add the butter and onion and cook on medium for 3 minutes, stirring constantly until the onion starts to soften. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 1 minute, keeping the temperature at medium/medium low.
- Add the heavy cream and black pepper, then bring to a low simmer. Continue stirring the cream and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and add the parmesan cheese in 2 to 3 batches, continuously stirring so it melts smoothly.
- Add the thawed peas and the cooked pancetta and combine. Add the cooked pasta and stir together until fully mixed. If the sauce is too thick, mix in some pasta water ¼ cups at a time, to get the cream consistency you desire.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and additional shredded parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Notes
Fresh vegetables: If you prefer to use fresh veggies like broccoli or green beans, for example, chop them into bite sized pieces and add to the pasta water when the pasta is a few minutes from being fully cooked.
Best parmesan cheese: Don't use grated parmesan cheese because it's too powdery. Use shredded parmesan here, either bagged or fresh.
Keep the pasta water: The pasta cooking water has starch in it from the pasta, which makes it ideal for use later if you need to thin the sauce a bit.
Nutrition
Calories: 834kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 59g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 609mg | Potassium: 440mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1715IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 239mg | Iron: 2mg
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