What do you use pancetta for?

Pancetta is a popular choice to be used in pasta recipes like this one as well as carbonara. It's also great in risotto, soups, and even in a quiche for brunch.

Pancetta is pork belly that is cured in salt and sometimes spices. It comes from the same cut of pork that bacon is made from. The flavor of pancetta is similar to bacon but has a deeper pork flavor. Both pancetta and bacon are cured, but only bacon is smoked.

What is the best way to cook pancetta?

I love to cook pancetta in a pan with a little oil over medium heat so the fat renders off and the pancetta gets light brown and slightly crisp.

Pancetta Pasta with Peas | Kathleen's Cravings

Pancetta Pasta with Peas

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5 from 1 review

Pancetta Pasta with Peas is loaded with crispy pancetta, tender peas, and lots of flavor. It uses only 5 ingredients (plus salt, pepper, and oil) and is ready in under 30 minutes

Author: Kathleen Hansen
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 6-8 servings
Category: Main, Pasta
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

1 lb pasta, such as rotini, rigatoni, or penne
1 tablespoon olive oil
8oz diced pancetta
10 ounces frozen peas
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Kosher Salt and Pepper, to taste
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan
Fresh Lemon Zest, optional
Chopped Fresh Parsley, optional

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Instructions

Cook the Pasta - Start by getting a big pot of salted water boiling and cooking the pasta until just al dente. Make sure to reserve a cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
Cook the Pancetta - Meanwhile, heat up a large sauté pan or pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once hot, add the pancetta and sauté until golden and crisp (4-5 minutes). Remove the pancetta to a plate - leaving the excess fat in the pan.
Cook the Peas and Garlic - Lower the heat to medium-low and add the peas and garlic to the same pan and sauté until the peas are tender (3-4 minutes).
Toss Pasta Together - Add the pancetta, cooked pasta, parmesan, a heavy pinch of pepper (salt is optional, but I find the pancetta to be salty enough) and a splash of the pasta water. Toss to combine - adding more pasta water as needed.
Serve - Serve the pasta immediately garnished with chopped fresh parsley and lemon zest, if using.

Notes

Pasta Water - Don't forget to save the pasta water! Using the reserved pasta water helps the ingredients adhere to the pasta. I like to reserve more than I'll need and then add a little bit at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Fresh Lemon and Parsley - Although serving with fresh and parsley can be skipped if you don't want to run to the store, they both add a fresh and bright flavor the perfectly complements the salty pancetta.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
Calories: 524
Sugar: 4.9 g
Sodium: 470.2 mg
Fat: 20.4 g
Carbohydrates: 64.2 g
Fiber: 4.8 g
Protein: 19.7 g
Cholesterol: 29.6 mg

Find it online: https://kathleenscravings.com/pancetta-pasta-with-peas/