PAPPARDELLE WITH PEAS
AND PANCETTA
IN A PINK SAUCE
This is a twist on an Italian classic recipe,
Pappardelle with Peas and Pancetta.
The original uses plain cream or no cream at all.
I wanted a little more color and flavor,so I came up with this pink version.
I was not disappointed with the results and neither will you!
PAPPARDELLE WITH PEAS AND PANCETTA
IN A PINK SAUCE
Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients:
8 oz pancetta, diced small
4 Tbls Olive Oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tbls onion, chopped
12 oz bag frozen peas, cooked according to package directions
1 pint container cherry tomatoes, washed and cut in half
12 oz light cream
12 oz package Pappardelle or Fettuccine, cooked Al dente
Grated Parmesan to sprinkle on top
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Directions:
Fill a pasta pot with water 3 inches from top and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan over a medium flame, add olive oil and diced pancetta. Stir often.
When pancetta is translucent, add chopped garlic and onion. Continue to stir.
Once pancetta, garlic and onion are golden, remove crispy pancetta bits from the pan and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium-low.
Add cut up tomatoes and stir well.
Cook for about 3 minutes or until water released by the tomatoes has evaporated. Slowly add the cream while stirring.
Remove from flame.
Allow to cool down a bit and pour tomato/cream mix into a food processor.
Run on high until a smooth sauce is formed.
Pour sauce back into sauté pan.
Add pancetta and cooked peas.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir well.
Keep warm over low flame, covered to avoid sauce from drying out.
By now, the pasta water should be boiling.
Add a teaspoon of salt and the fettuccine.
Cool al dente, according to package directions.
Save a cup of pasta water and drain the fettuccine.
Immediately add them to the sauté pan and stir gently until all pasta is covered with sauce.
In case the sauce is dry, add some reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.
Sprinkle with a generous amount of grated Parmesan.
Continue to stir gently over low flame for about a minute.
Serve hot.
Tips:
You may substitute fettuccine for the Pappardelle, which are the wide version of fettuccine.
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If you don’t like tomatoes, skip that part of the recipe and only use the cream.
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If you can’t find pancetta, you may substitute with diced thick bacon.