Pasta panna e pancetta

Pasta panna e pancetta is a classic Italian dish reminiscent of the famous carbonara pasta, but with a simpler preparation and the addition of cooking cream for a creamier touch. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 320 grams of pasta (spaghetti or penne are good choices)
• 150 grams of pancetta, diced
• 200 ml of cooking cream
• 1 clove of garlic
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Grated Parmesan cheese (quantity as desired)

Preparation

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. While the water is heating up, take a large frying pan and heat a drizzle of oil with a clove of garlic to flavour it. Remove the garlic as soon as it turns golden.
3. Add the diced pancetta to the pan and let it brown until it becomes crispy over medium-high heat.
4. In the meantime, cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the package.
5. Once the pancetta is crispy, lower the heat and add the cooking cream. Let the cream warm up and mix well with the flavour of the pancetta, adjusting for salt and pepper.
6. Drain the al dente pasta and save some of the cooking water.
7. Pour the pasta into the pan with the pancetta and cream, adding a little cooking water to make it creamier if necessary.
8. Mix the pasta well to blend the ingredients and let it flavour for a minute.
9. Serve the pasta hot, sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese to taste.

If you want to add an extra Italian touch, you can finish the dish with a bit of freshly chopped parsley for a contrast of color and freshness.