Welcome to Kelly’s Kitchen! My intention was to make Pasta alla Gricia, but I wanted to add fresh English peas, and I had pancetta instead of guanciale. So, this pasta dish is made like Pasta alla Gricia, but the ingredients are a little different. So, let’s do it: Rigatoni with Pancetta and Spring Peas.
Rigatoni with Pancetta and Spring Peas Ingredients
- 2 Heaping tbsp. Bacon Fat
- 4 oz. Diced Pancetta
- 1/2 tsp. Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, plus more for serving
- 1 cup of Fresh Peas (use more or less to suit your taste)
- 9 oz. Large Rigatoni (about half of the one-pound package)
- 1/2 cup Finely Grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
How to Prepare Rigatoni with Pancetta and Spring Peas
Step 1
Set 1 quart of salted water to boil. In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the pancetta in the bacon fat over medium-low heat until the pancetta is evenly browned, about 5 minutes.
Step 2
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pancetta to a bowl, drain off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat. Cook the rigatoni, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking. Strain the pasta over a bowl to collect the pasta cooking water.
Step 3
Add 1.5 cups of the pasta cooking water to the 3 tablespoons of bacon fat in the large pot, add the pepper and bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Stirring occasionally and scraping up the brown bits, let the sauce boil and reduce until emulsified, about 5 minutes.
Step 4
Add the peas to the pot and boil for another 2 minutes. Add the pancetta to the pot and reduce the heat to low. Stir to combine the pancetta and peas.
Step 5
Now add the pasta to the pot. Stir to coat the pasta in the sauce and add the Parmesan cheese. Gently but continuously stir the pasta in the sauce to melt the cheese and thicken the sauce.
Step 6
Add a little more hot pasta water if necessary to smooth out the sauce. Keep stirring the pasta up from the bottom to thoroughly coat until everything looks glossy and creamy.
Step 7
Serve in bowls, topped with more pepper and Parmesan.
Thank you so much for spending some of your day with me. I hope that you have a beautiful day! For another simple pasta dish, try Pasta Nada for One. Take care and be well, friends. xo Kelly
Key Equipment
- 2 Heaping tbsp. Bacon Fat
- 4 oz. Diced Pancetta
- 1/2 tsp. Fresh Cracked Black Pepper plus more for serving
- 1 cup of Fresh Peas use more or less to suit your taste
- 9 oz. Large Rigatoni about half of the one-pound package
- 1/2 cup Finely Grated Parmesan plus more for serving
-
Set 1 quart of salted water to boil. In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the pancetta in the bacon fat over medium-low heat until the pancetta is evenly browned, about 5 minutes.
-
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pancetta to a bowl, drain off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat. Cook the rigatoni, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking. Strain the pasta over a bowl to collect the pasta cooking water.
-
Add 1.5 cups of the pasta cooking water to the 3 tablespoons of bacon fat in the large pot, add the pepper and bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Stirring occasionally and scraping up the brown bits, let the sauce boil and reduce until emulsified, about 5 minutes.
-
Add the peas to the pot and boil for another 2 minutes. Add the pancetta to the pot and reduce the heat to low. Stir to combine the pancetta and peas
-
Now add the pasta to the pot. Stir to coat the pasta in the sauce and add the Parmesan cheese. Gently but continuously stir the pasta in the sauce to melt the cheese and thicken the sauce.
-
Add a little more hot pasta water if necessary to smooth out the sauce. Keep stirring the pasta up from the bottom to thoroughly coat until everything looks glossy and creamy.
-
Serve in bowls, topped with more pepper and Parmesan.
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