Creamy Tomato Tagliatelle with Pancetta and Mushrooms

Nothing beats a quick meal that comes together with ingredients you already have on hand. I try to keep pancetta, smoked sausage and bacon in the fridge because if you haven’t taken meat out of the freezer (or forget, like me alllll the time), you can still pull a super elegant meal with whatever you have.

Here’s how I made it!

Into a cold pan, add your pancetta, turn up to heat to medium and let it cook until super crispy. You want to allow the fat to render, and in order to do so, you should always start it in a cold pan and then bring it up to heat.

Once crispy, remove to a plate.

Next, you’ll add in some butter, tomatoes, garlic and salt and allow it to cook until the tomatoes are soft. Give them a squish with a potato masher or the back of a spoon.

Deglaze the pan, then add in your mushrooms and once they have cooked, add the pancetta back to the pan..

Add your pasta to boiling water at this time. Tagliatelle only take a few minutes.

Add in your cheese and cream and some reserved pasta water.

Next, add your pasta and parm-reg and toss well, adding more pasta water until it reaches a silky consistency.

Serve with more parm and enjoy!

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 375 g tagliatelle

• 1/2 cup chopped pancetta

• 2 tbsp butter

• 2 cups cremini mushrooms sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 pints sweet cherry tomatoes

• 1/2 tsp chili flakes

• 1/4 cup white wine

• 1/4 cup mascarpone or other creamy cheese (cream cheese or Boursin would be good too)

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 cup Parm-Reg

• Handful basil leaves, chopped

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil and salt it well. Don’t add the pasta just yet (tagliatelle cooks quickly so you don’t want to make it too far ahead).

2. In a big pan, add your pancetta and turn the heat onto medium. Adding the pancetta to a cold pan allows it to cook slowly and the fat to render and you’ll want that fat for flavour!

3. Once the pancetta is very crispy, remove it with a slotted spoon and lower the heat to medium low.

4. Add the butter to the rendered fat in the pan and once it melts, add the garlic.

5. Cook for about 30 seconds, then add your tomatoes and bring up the heat back to medium.

6. Add a dash of salt and pepper, along with the chili flakes.

7. Once the tomatoes soften a little bit, add the white wine.

8. Gently mash the tomatoes to burst them and then add your mushrooms.

9. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes then add the crispy pancetta back to the sauce.

10. Now add your pasta to the boiling water.

11. While the pasta is boiling, add the mascarpone cheese and heavy cream.

12. Add 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and cook it down until the pasta is al dente (about 6 mins usually - check the package). Stir in the basil.

13. Add the pasta and more pasta water as needed.

14. Add Parmesan.

15. Toss well and serve immediately.