Penne with roasted garlic and pancetta is what’s for lunch.
I love recipes that use simple and few ingredients but still manage to produce a wonderfully flavored dish. I guess that’s the art of cooking – being able to maximize an ingredient’s full potential.
This dish is so easy to make that anyone can probably make it under 3o minutes.
Ahhhh. I love non-working holidays 🙂
Penne with Roasted Garlic and Pancetta
- 3 heads of garlic, roasted (how to prepare roasted garlic)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 c. all purpose cream
- 1/4 c. sliced pancetta or bacon
- chili flakes
- flat leaf parsley (or any herb you prefer, like basil)
- salt and pepper
- 1/8 c. olive oil
- 1/2 lb. penne
Using one garlic first, remove it from the skin and mash with a fork. Set aside. Remove the garlic from the two remaining heads and set aside.
In a non-stick pan, heat the olive oil and saute the onions until transparent and soft. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown. Add the mashed garlic and simmer for about 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the chili flakes, parsley and add the rest of the garlic. Add sauce to the pasta while hot.
If the sauce gets too thick, you can always add a few tablespoons of water or chicken stock then simmer for a few minutes
*It’s always best to work with fresh ingredients so feel free to add whatever you might have in your kitchen or garden. Tomatoes and mushrooms will work wonderfully with this recipe, too.