Light, salty, nutty, peppery, this parmesan pancetta pasta packs flavor without being overly complicated.
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Keyword 30 minute meal, Pasta, Quick Meal
Prep Time 5 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Total Time 35 minutesminutes
Servings 3people
Ingredients
1/2packagepasta
8ozpancettadiced
3clovesgarlicminced finely
1 1/2cupsparmesan cheesefreshly grated
1/2tspblack pepperfreshly cracked prefered
1 1/2cupsarugula
1tbspolive oil
1/2cuppasta waterreserve 1 cup before draining
Instructions
Cook pasta as per packaging. Right before you drain reserve 1 cup of pasta water and place on the side.
In a frying pan over low-medium heat add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add pancetta and fry until fat has rendered and most of but not all the pancetta is crispy. This will be between 5 minutes (for super small diced pancetta) to 12 minutes (for larger chunks of pancetta).
Remove pancetta and 1 tbsp of fat. Fat can be discarded. Place the pancetta on the side.
Lower the heat and add the garlic. Cook garlic until soft and fragrant without color. If garlic begins to brown lower heat even more. (5-7 minutes).
Add 1/2 cup of pasta water and mix. Add pepper and let sauce reduce for 2-3 minutes. Sauce will be thin.
Add pasta, and give a toss. Add cheese and cook pasta and cheese in sauce for 2 minutes, until pasta has been coated and sauce at the bottom is essentially gone.
Add pancetta, add arugula and toss. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
You shouldn't have to salt this dish. Between the salty pasta water, pancetta, and parm this dish gets a lot of salt as it is.