Oh how Italian you will feel when you try my Spaghetti with Potatoes & Pancetta. When Italians cook and subsequently eat pasta, the general rule of thumb is that the pasta is the star of the show, not the sauce that goes with the pasta. Italians are innately looking for a bowl of perfectly al dente pasta (a specific shape of pasta to go with a particular sauce of course) lightly dressed with quality ingredients and a light coating of their sauce of choice. A far cry from what we as Americans picture as the ideal bowl of pasta; still delicious, but in this case, the star of the show is usually the sauce.
In this pasta recipe, small cubes of potato are cooked until tender with some garlic, olive oil and pancetta, or Italian bacon. Tossed with tender whole wheat spaghetti, a touch of pasta water, parsley and Parmesan cheese, a luscious sauce is formed from the starch of the pasta and the oil and starch from the pan of cooked pancetta and potatoes. Potatoes are commonly added to rustic pasta dishes in Italy, and if you have yet to try this idea, this recipe is a great starting part.
Sautéing the pancetta and potatoes in a touch of olive oil
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Spaghetti with Potatoes & Pancetta
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 oz. thinly sliced pancetta, cut into small pieces
- 2 yellow potatoes, scrubbed and cut into small dice
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup Italian parsley, chopped
- ½ cup shaved Parmesan cheese
- Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Directions:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Using tongs, transfer the cooked pasta to a large mixing bowl. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil along with the crushed red pepper flakes over medium heat in a large skillet. Add in the garlic, potatoes and pancetta. Season the mixture with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the pancetta crisp. Add the mixture into the bowl of cooked pasta and toss, along with the reserved pasta water. Add in the parsley and cheese, toss again.
- Divide the pasta among serving dishes, and serve with a sprinkling of additional cheese and a touch more black pepper.
Tagged: garlic, Italian, Italian parsley, pancetta, pasta, potatoes, spaghetti, whole wheat spaghetti
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