penne with pancetta and peas in lemon cream sauce

After a few very meat-centric meals, I wanted a pasta.

But I was not thinking tomato-based. I wanted a fresher taste.

So I modified a recipe a bit to come up with
penne with pancetta and peas in lemon cream sauce.

For you vegetarians, just skip the pancetta
and use veggie broth instead of chicken broth.

I have no doubt this will still be a winner.

Some other ways to mix it up: Use fresh asparagus
instead of peas; add some grilled chicken pieces;
serve with shrimp or as a base for baked or grilled salmon
or other fish; add bite size pieces of ham instead of pancetta...
really, whatever sounds good. The sauce seems pretty versatile.

This comes together pretty fast once you get the sauce started.
So you want to have all your ingredients ready to go before you start.

penne with pancetta and peas
in lemon cream sauce

10-12 thin slices pancetta

1.5 ounces pine nuts

2 tablespoons butter

3 shallots, halved then sliced thinly

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup whipping cream

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1 teaspoon orange zest

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

12 ounces penne pasta

Grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large sautee or frying pan, cook pancetta
until crispy and set aside. This does not have to be done
in perfect strips or circles since it will be crumbled later anyway.
Save this pan, you will use it to make the sauce.
Just drain any excess fat.

RAW PANCETTA

Start water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions.

In a dry sautee pan toast pine nuts over medium-high
heat until golden brown. Keep an eye on these.
Once they start to brown, they go fast. Remove toasted nuts
from hot pan or they will continue to cook.

TOASTED PINE NUTS

In pan that you cooked pancetta, melt butter over medium heat.

Add shallots and garlic, cooking until soft, about 2-3 minutes.

RAW SHALLOTS

Add broth and wine. Simmer over medium-high
heat until reduced by about half.

Add cream, lemon and orange peels and cayenne pepper.
Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 3-4 minutes.

LEMON AND ORANGE ZEST WITH MICRO PLANER

Add peas. Simmer until peas are just
heated through, about 2 minutes.

FROZEN PEAS, THAWED AND ADDED TO SAUCE

CHOPPED FRESH MINT

Stir in mint, lemon juice and pine nuts.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Remember, you will be adding the pancetta, which is salty.
I actually did not add any salt, just a touch of pepper.

You can toss the sauce and pasta together
or serve the sauce over the pasta.

I served the sauce over the pasta.

Crumble some pancetta on top
and add a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

OK. I think that is it.

Mangia!

YEP, IT WAS TASTY!