[Snowflake]

Next to the smoked gloriousness that is American-style bacon, I love nothing better than pancetta, the fresh cured Italian variety. Molinari's hand made in SF is my pancetta of choice and it may be 9 am, I'm craving it right now, as follows:

Pancetta with Peas

olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 white onion diced fine
cream or half & half
pancetta 2-4 ounces diced (or more to taste)
dash of nutmeg
chopped parsley
pepper (salt only if needed)
pasta of choice (orichette is nice)
fresh parmasan or romano

In a medium hot pan add olive oil (about a tablespoon), add the diced pancetta and stir until browned and the fat is rendering. Add the diced onion, then garlic, stir well and lower heat so as not to burn the garlic. Boil the pasta and once it is nearly done, then add the peas (frozen are good, fresh are awesome, if using fresh, of course cook them a little bit longer) saute for a few minutes until well coated. Add cream or half and half to the pan, pepper, dash of nutmeg (only a little to taste). Drain the hot pasta and add to the sauce in the pan, toss in the parsley, mix all well until the pasta is coated, taste for seasoning, then serve it up, grate fresh cheese on top and enjoy.

Of course, the addition of more cooked pancetta on the top as a finisher is only an option but take my word, it is a good one.

Pancetta, it's what's for dinner!