Pea and Pancetta Pasta

The savoury saltiness of crisp-fried pancetta with fresh minced garlic work together to create the most delicious Pea and Pancetta Pasta. Don’t skip out on the fresh thyme leaves because they add so much earthy and herby flavour to the dish. Tossed with nutty parmesan, this pasta is worthy of any special occasion!

To me, this particular pasta dish lends itself well to holiday cooking. Sure, it’s not packed with red and green ingredients like most holiday pasta dishes, but the combination of pork and pasta with that earthy fresh thyme and butter suggests it’s comforting, rich, and homey. And that’s just what holiday-inspired recipes are all about. Save this Pea and Pancetta Pasta recipe for a cold day when you need something filling, warm, and cozy for dinner.

Any pasta will do well in this recipe. But, for maximum flavour, you want to use pasta that will hold onto that delicious sauce. Kinds of pasta like spaghetti, linguine, pappardelle, etc., are all great pasta options. But, they have one thing in common. The surfaces of those kinds of pasta are flat. A flat pasta means that the sauce can run off more easily. You want to use pasta that the sauce will stick to.

Look closely at pasta like rigatoni, fusilli, or penne. They all have a ridged surface. Not only do the ridges get filled with the pasta sauce, but they also hang onto things like the bits of garlic, the grated parmesan, and just about anything else in your sauce.

COOKING PASTA

Let me talk to you a bit about how to get the pasta just right without overcooking it. Someone once told me that I prepare pasta like an old Italian grandma. That has stuck we me for so many years. You see, Dear Reader, I’m far from perfect, but cooking pasta is one thing I can certainly do perfectly. I don’t care what the back of the pasta package says, cook your pasta according to taste and texture. Ignore everything else. Here are my 4 steadfast rules:

Rule #1: Say no to oil!

Do you add oil to your pasta water before adding the pasta? Stop that right now! I don’t know who’s responsible for that, but I have seen some TV chefs do it! If you add oil to your pasta water, do you know what happens when you put the sauce on it? The sauce won’t stick as well as it should. It will slide off, because the oil prevents it from sticking.

Rule #2: Add extra salt!

Salt the water. I used to be so afraid of salting pasta water, because I thought it would be too salty to eat. Salting the water, before you add the pasta, is the only chance you get to season that pasta. Let the water come to full boil before adding your salt. The water should taste like the ocean. Don’t dump the salt in; stir it in. Preventing the salt from settling at the bottom of your pot will keep your pot looking shiny and new. If you have pots with what looks like a tarnished or unpolished interior bottom, it’s because salt sat at the bottom of your pot.

Rule #3: Get that pasta moving about immediately!

Stir the pasta for a good minute when you first add it to the water. This helps to wash off some of the starch and prevents the pasta from sticking to the pot and to itself. I always pull out a piece of pasta 4 minutes before the package says it will be ready. Taste it. Chew it. It shouldn’t be completely soft. If it has a bit of bite left in the center, get it out of the water and drain it immediately. You can thank me later!

Rule #4: Do not rinse!

So many of us are tempting to rinse pasta under running water after it’s been drained. I think it comes from the notion that it gets rid of starch. Well, it does in a way. But, when pasta begins to cool off and dry, it becomes a little sticky. That stickiness soaks up pasta sauce, so don’t flush it out! A quick drain is all you need. Get the pasta into a bowl or onto a plate. Get the sauce on it and serve it up.

PARMESAN CHEESE

I know a wedge of parmesan – even a small one – can be anywhere from 12 to 20 dollars. So, you can use other cheeses that will save you a few bucks. My go-to cheese if I can’t get good parmesan is pecorino romano. It has a very similar taste and texture.

I have another option that’s a little outside the box, but don’t knock it until you try it! Have you heard of nutritional yeast? It’s quite good and is an ingredient many vegans will use as a parmesan alternative. Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast commonly used as an ingredient in creamy, dairy-free cheese substitutes. You can often find it used as a topping for foods like my Doritos Cool Ranch Popcorn.

I’ve also used it in my Homemade Ranch Seasoning, which is great stirred into buttermilk to make a salad dressing. Or into sour cream for a very tasty ranch dip! I’ve also used it in this Garlic Bread recipe. Honestly, Dear Reader, it’s delicious!

PANCETTA

Pancetta is similar to bacon, but pancetta isn’t smoked. It does have that fried pork flavour that we all love about bacon, but without the smokiness. Like bacon, pancetta does render quite well, which makes brussels sprouts taste even better!

Pancetta is sometimes sold sliced paper thin or cubed. The thin slices can be wrapped around vegetables or meat before cooking. The pancetta cubes are often used like bacon, sautéed with onions or garlic to form the base of a soup, pasta, or risotto. It’s best to use the cubed pancetta in this recipe.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Pasta – Read the instructions above to get the best pasta texture and taste.
• Pancetta – You will need 125 grams of diced pancetta. I used this one from Costco.
• Butter – Pancetta is very salty, so use unsalted butter here.
• Salt – If you used salted butter, do not add any addtional salt until you taste and season once the dish is fully prepared.
• Ground Black Pepper
• Garlic – Use fresh garlic cloves for the best flavour.
• Frozen Green Peas – Read the next section of peas to ensure you’re buying the right type.
• Fresh Thyme Leaves
• Parmesan Cheese – I love to use freshly grated parmesan whenever possible, but I’m not against the kind bought in a can either if that fits better into your grocery budget. However, with that said, pasta is always best with freshly grated parmesan.
• Parsley – Fresh parsley is used here for freshness, colour, and garnish.

HOW TO MAKE PEA AND PANCETTA PASTA

Prepare the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet, cook the pancetta over medium heat until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is browned and crisp. Add the butter to the skillet along with the garlic, salt, and ground black pepper. Stir to combine and cook for just 2 minutes. Next, add the frozen green peas. Stir well and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Add the cooked pasta, thyme leaves, and three tablespoons of the chopped parsely to the skillet. Use tongs to toss all of the ingredients together. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the pasta is fully reheated. Remove the pasta from the heat and stir through the parmesan cheese. Plate and garnish with the remaining parsley. Serve immediately.

BE SURE TO GET THE RIGHT FROZEN PEAS!

It is important to pay close attention when purchasing a bag of frozen peas for this recipe. Frozen peas usually come in two types – regular frozen peas or petites. The petites are just smaller peas, but they don’t work well in this recipe.

The cooking time does not allow the petite green peas to hold up well. They become rather mushy and unless you are intentionally trying to prepare a mushy pea recipe, (yes, they exist!) use the plump, regular green peas so that you can experience the texture of properly prepared Pea and Pancetta Pasta.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!