Pasta and Peas With Pancetta
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This recipe comes from my grandmother. We used to eat at her house every Monday night, and pasta and peas is what she made. I still make her original recipe but I do it a couple of different ways. This Pasta and Peas With Pancetta was something my grandmother never made.
A lot of people say you can use bacon instead of pancetta for this recipe, but we love the pancetta. Bacon has a smoky flavor. Pancetta is not smoked, so it allows the pork flavor to really come through.
The Prep Work
It all starts with the pancetta. Chop it into small pieces using the Hardy Slicer, which is a great knife for cutting cured meats.
Next, chop one large onion using a 7-5/8″ Petite Chef knife.
That’s all the chopping you’ll need to start cooking.
Putting It Together
Once everything is cut, it’s time to put everything together.
Sauté the pancetta in a stockpot until browned. Add the onion and a dash of pepper to cook for about five minutes. Toss in a bag of frozen peas to cook until warmed. Remove two cups of the peas from the pot to set aside. Make sure to get mostly peas when removing them as they’ll have been intermingled with the pancetta.
Place the peas you removed into a food processor to puree and then add some olive oil. Process again until you have a creamy consistency.
In a separate pot, cook the pasta. We use paternostini rigati #65 pasta for this recipe, but any small pasta will do. Whichever you use, cook only until al dente, so the pasta is still a bit firm. Reserve two cups of the pasta water and then drain the pasta.
Add the pureed peas and reserved pasta water to the peas, pancetta and onion mixture and combine. While everything is still hot, sprinkle in fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and mix gently to allow it to melt.
Fold the pasta into the pea mixture, using a Slotted Spoon.
Plate the pasta and top it with additional cheese and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
Comforting, flavorful and easy, this Pasta and Peas With Pancetta recipe may become part of your regular weekday menu rotation.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound pancetta, chopped
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 large bag (4 cups) frozen peas
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt, (for pasta water) to taste
- 1 pound paternostini rigati #65 pasta (or other small pasta)
- 1 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 2 cups pasta water
- Drizzle olive oil on top when finished
Directions
- Place a large stock pot over medium heat. Put pancetta into the preheated pot and sauté until brown.
- Add the onion and a dash (1/4 teaspoon) of black pepper into the pot with browned pancetta and allow to cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the peas to the pot and cook until peas are warmed.
- Remove 2 cups of your peas (making sure to get mostly peas) from the pot and place them in a food processor to puree.
- After pureeing the peas add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the food processor and continue to puree until a creamy consistency is achieved
- In a separate stock pot add water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt to the boiling water and add your pasta. Cook until pasta is al dente. Times will vary and depend on what kind of pasta you use so check your package for appropriate cooking time.
- When pasta is cooked, reserve 2 cups of pasta water and set aside. Strain the remaining pasta.
- Add your pureed peas and reserved pasta water to the peas, pancetta and onion mixture. Mix it all together, gently, and add in the Parmigiano-Reggiano while everything is still hot, it will melt the cheese beautifully.
- Add the pasta to the pea mixture, gently stir to combine all the ingredients.
- Serve in bowls and add additional cheese and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
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