Pesto Pasta with Crispy Pancetta and Shaved Parmesan

Pesto pasta topped with crispy pancetta and shaved parmesan. Here’s a simple and satisfying 25 minute weeknight meal idea that will hit the spot.

Did anyone else have/used to have a food rule around carbs and pasta? I for sure did.

I had this ridiculous rule that I could only eat pasta once a week and a sub rule that it had to be either whole wheat or brown rice pasta bc god forbid you eat refined carbs. And I’m talking high quality pasta, paired with a protein, fat, and side of veggies so that it’s well balanced and prevents a blood sugar level crash. What was I thinking...
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So this is me celebrating pasta and yes eating it when my body craves it which has been A LOT these days! Most days it’s good ‘ol packaged organic semolina pasta. Some days it’s gluten free pasta or lentil pasta (like today for a lighter lunch). And other days it’s getting fancy and making homemade traditional pasta loaded with gluten and all the good stuff.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2-3 tablespoons pesto

  • 1 3/4 oz parmesan cheese (optional, omit if dairy-free)

  • 1 oz pecorino cheese (optional, omit if dairy-free)

  • 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

  • 2.5 oz basil, chopped

  • ¼ cup pine nuts, walnuts or nut of choice

  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1-2 serving sizes of caserecce (I used Jovial, gluten free)

• 1 teaspoon olive oil

• 1/8 cup pancetta

• Himalayan sea salt (to taste)

• Aged parmesan to taste (omit if DF)
  

Instructions:

1. For the pesto, combine cheese in blender or food processor and blend until grain like. Remove cheese from bender. Add garlic and nuts to the blender, and blend until paste like almost like peanut butter. Add half the olive oil and pulse 2-3 times. Then add the chopped basil and pulse for about 10 times. Slowly add the rest of the olive oil until mixed in, about 2 pulses.

2. Cook the pasta according to box instructions. Strain pasta from water, saving about 1 tsp of pasta cooking water. Add the pesto and gently stir until combined.

3. Meanwhile, in a small to medium sized pan, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add the pancetta until crispy, about 10 or so minutes.

4. Serve pesto pasta in a bowl, mix in the pancetta, and top off with in freshly shaved parmesan and cracked pepper.

For the record, this dish was inspired by good ‘ol maverick who stole the sausages I had planned on using i lieu of the pancetta. But thanks to him, the crispy pancetta was DELISH and you can bet this meal is now on the weekly dinner rotation.