My kindergartener calls this “Mommy’s best dinner.” You have no idea how simple it is. And the best part is, I know he had some vegetables in him without him making that “blehhhhhhhh” sound. It’s made with pancetta, an Italian pork belly meat. If your grocery store or delicatessen does not carry pancetta, you could sub out bacon or ham, as long as it’s cut thick enough to dice.
Dash of salt
3/4 Box Bowtie (Farfalle) Pasta
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 lb. pancetta (sliced thick, like bacon)
one cup frozen peas
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 pats of butter
Boil a large pot of water (a 4 quart pot about 3/4 full), into which you have thrown a dash of salt on high heat.
Dice the pancetta into small pieces. Coat the bottom of a medium frying pan with the olive oil and warm it up on medium heat. Place the pancetta in the oil until the pancetta turns light brown. Drain a bit of the fat that has accumulated in the pan and reduce heat to low. Add in the peas and stir until they are no longer frozen.
Drain the cooked pasta (per the directions on the box) in a colander and place the pasta back in the 4 qt pot. With a slotted spoon (to allow the oil to drain), remove the peas and pancetta and add to the bowtie pasta.
Add the cream and the butter to the pasta mixture in the pot and stir until the butter is melted. The cream will not be an overwhelming sauce, but more of a light coating to the dish. You can add more to suit your taste if you wish.
Kids will like the dish with no further embellishment, but you can also grate some parmigiano reggiano cheese and some cracked black pepper for an extra flourish.
The Chic Mommy 