Pancetta, Peas & Parmesan Pasta

This is the first recipe I’ve posted since my Son was born! It is also the recipe that I’ve made the most over these last 3 months. Our sweet little Asher has been keeping me very busy, so cooking isn’t as easy as it used to be.  I love this recipe because it is super fast and tastes delicious. Plus, I pretty much have all these ingredients on hand, so I don’t have to make a trip to the market. My inspiration for this recipe was a dish I had while I was pregnant at one of our favorite local restaurants. This is my version of that pasta. It is simple and has become a staple in our household.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 oz pancetta
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 12 oz fettuccine (I prefer fresh fettuccine!)
• 2 tbsp flat leaf Italian parsley, minced
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, cook the pancetta until crisp, about 7 to 10 minutes. Once crispy, add the chopped onions and cook for about 10 minutes until the onions are translucent. Then add in the garlic. Sprinkle with salt and cook for a couple more minutes.

Then add in the peas and stir. Once the peas are fully heated through, pour in the heavy cream. Stir until the sauce thickens.

Meanwhile, drop the fettuccine into the boiling water, follow the cooking instructions on the pasta box and cook until al dente. I like to use fresh fettuccine in this recipe which cooks in about 3 minutes but if you are using pasta from a box, it will take about 9 to 11 minutes. Drain the pasta and add the fettuccine to the sauce.

Top with the Parmesan cheese and stir until cheese has melted. Then season with salt and pepper to taste. Finally, garnish with parsley and serve.