Raise your hand if pasta is the go-to dinner for the kids in your house? I hear ya, Mama! Well, there are times to push beyond pasta. And there are other times to just embrace it and go all out PASTA!! Today, I am going all out with this 30-Minute Quick & Easy Pancetta, Parmesan, and Pepper Pasta, which is creamy, peppery, and absolutely delicious.
The Pancetta is diced to give a salty and slightly peppery flavor and meatiness in every bite. The Parmesan cheese creates this nutty, salty, and creamy sauce coating every piece of pasta. And last, but not least, the ground black pepper gives that peppery flavor that really makes this pasta stand out.
Pancetta Comes to the Cacio e Pepe Party
Dave and I went to Italy last summer to celebrate our 10 year Anniversary. In Rome I had the most amazing, mouth watering Cacio e Pepe, which is Cheese and Pepper Pasta. This recipe is my variation on that traditional dish. First, I’m adding Pancetta, which is the Italian version of bacon. It’s pork belly that is sliced and cured, but not smoked, rolled with salt and pepper.
Second, I am using Gluten Free Pasta. You can of course use your favorite pasta for this recipe, but I do recommend a long pasta shape, such as Angel Hair, Spaghetti, or fettuccine to really combine with the parmesan to get creamy and delicious.
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PREP-AHEAD TO MAKE YOUR PANCETTA, PARMESAN, & PEPPER PASTA
We are all extremely busy and making dinner during the week can be overwhelming. Here are the steps you prepare in the day(s) in advance and store in the fridge as your meal Kit… (See the recipe below for more details)
This is one of those dishes that tastes so incredible that you think it MUST take all day. But it seriously takes only 3 steps and less than 30 minutes to pull together from scratch!
The 3 steps are (1) Cook the Pancetta, garlic, and lemon juice in a skillet (2) add the Pasta (3) mix in the parmesan, pepper, and pasta water. That’s it!
The only things you can do in advance is to dice the Pancetta and mince the garlic. This should only take a few minutes, so you can do it 3-4 days in advance or right before cooking.
COOK YOUR PANCETTA, PARMESAN, & PEPPER PASTA
For this recipe, you need a large frying pan or skillet. I use my absolute favorite 12″ Ceramic Pan, which is great because food really does slide right off with minimal oil and I don’t have to worry about food sticking and burning.
While the pasta is cooking…Preheat a large skillet on high. Add the diced Pancetta. You shouldn’t need any oil in the pan as the pancetta has a lot of fat that will render. Stir the meat around with a spatula to prevent it from sticking. Cook about 4-5 minutes until the fat is rendered and the Pancetta pieces are just starting to crisp.
Turn the heat down to low and add the minced garlic and lemon juice. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Then turn off the heat.
Scoop the pasta out of the water and add it to the skillet, saving the pasta cooking water. It’s ok of you get some water in the skillet with the pasta. Drizzle the pasta with a tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil and then mix the pasta with the pancetta, garlic, and lemon juice.
Measure out a cup of the pasta water and let the pasta and the water cool to warm, not steaming hot, about 10 minutes. You do NOT want the cheese to melt into clumps when you add it! After 10 minutes, add the parmesan cheese and ground pepper to the pasta and immediately combine the parm and pasta using tongs or a couple large forks. You want the parmesan cheese to coat all of the pasta.
Last, drizzle in the water a little at a time, each time mixing until the parmesan starts to get creamy. If it starts to clump, the water is still too hot and you need wait until it cools a bit more. Continue this until you have added all of the measured out pasta water. You can always add a bit more if needed.
ENJOY!
😍 Carrie
Pancetta, Parmesan, & Pepper Pasta
This Easy one-pan meal, Pancetta, Parmesan, and Pepper Pasta is creamy, pepper, and absolutely delicious. The Pancetta is diced to give a salty and slightly peppery flavor and meatiness in every bite. The Parmesan cheese creates this nutty, salty, and creamy sauce coating every piece of pasta. And last, but not least, the ground black pepper gives that peppery flavor that really makes this pasta stand out. #pasta #easypasta #easydinner #dinner #italian #familydinner #onpotdinners #onepandinners #parmesan
Ingredients
- 4 oz Pancetta
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 Lemon
- 10 oz Spaghetti pasta, Gluten Free or Regular
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Salt
Sauce
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 tsp Pepper
- 1 cup pasta cooking water
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
Prep Ahead
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The only things you can do in advance is to dice the Pancetta and mince the garlic. This should only take a few minutes, so you can do it 3-4 days in advance or right before cooking.
Cook
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then add a tbsp of olive oil and a tsp of salt. Add the spaghetti and stir while cooking for a minute so the pasta doesn't stick. Bring back to a boil and cook for 7-10 minutes until it reaches desired consistency.
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While the pasta is cooking...Preheat a large skillet on high. Add the diced Pancetta. You shouldn't need any oil in the pan as the pancetta has a lot of fat that will render. Stir the meat around with a spatula to prevent it from sticking. Cook about 4-5 minutes until the fat is rendered and the Pancetta pieces are just starting to crisp.
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Turn the heat down to low and add the minced garlic and juice from half a lemon. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Then turn off the heat.
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Scoop the pasta out of the water and add it to the skillet, saving the pasta cooking water. It's ok of you get some water in the skillet with the pasta. Drizzle the pasta with a tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil and then mix the pasta with the pancetta, garlic, and lemon juice.
-
Measure out a cup of the pasta water and let the pasta and the water cool to warm, not steaming hot, about 10 minutes. You do NOT want the cheese to melt into clumps when you add it! After 10 minutes, add the parmesan cheese and ground pepper to the pasta and immediately combine the parm and pasta using tongs or a couple large forks. You want the parmesan cheese to coat all of the pasta.
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Last, drizzle in the water a little at a time, each time mixing until the parmesan starts to get creamy. If it starts to clump, the water is still too hot and you need wait until it cools a bit more. Continue this until you have added all of the measured out pasta water. You can always add a bit more if needed. That's it! Serve and Enjoy!
Wow! This Pancetta, Parmesan and Pepper Pasta looks amazing. I’ve been craving pasta dishes lately and this one of yours could just be my new go-to meal to satisfy my hunger. I love that you used pancetta. I’m sure it adds such a nice rich taste to the pasta. Thanks so much for sharing.