Delight in this savory Pasta with Pancetta and Peas recipe – a quick, easy, and customizable dish that combines crispy pancetta with sweet peas for a satisfying meal.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
While the pasta is cooking, crisp pancetta in a large saucepan (or dutch oven) over medium-high heat for approximately 6 minutes until it turns golden. Transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels. Don't remove the oil created by pancetta from the pan.
In the same pan, sauté onion and garlic until fragrant, about 3 minutes, before adding the peas. Next, add the basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix to combine and cook for about 5 minutes.
Take the pan off the heat and add the cooked pasta, as well as the butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir to combine until butter is melted and coats the pasta. Add some of the reserved pasta water if you need a little more liquid! Serve immediately.
Notes
Grab some paper towels – You must use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked pancetta from the pan and put into paper towels so that they don’t get soggy and stay nice and crisp!
Feel free to add more veg – You could easily add some more vegetables like asparagus to pump up this dish.