Chopped pancetta and little pine nuts nestle perfectly into the crevices of orecchiette, a small ear-shaped pasta. Cut vibrant asparagus on the diagonal for a simple way to elevate the appearance of this dish. Enveloped in the creamy mixture of goat cheese and Parmesan, this dish is as delicious as it is easy. Make a double batch, serve it for dinner, then pack it for lunch for an enviable meal among your co-workers. You’ll want to Instagram this one because it’ll be too pretty not to post! We promise.
Pancetta, Asparagus and Goat Cheese Orecchiette
Ingredients:
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 lb. (500 g) asparagus, ends trimmed, spears cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
5 oz. (155 g) pancetta, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
12 oz. (375 g) orecchiette
6 Tbs. (3 fl. oz./90 ml) olive oil
1/4 cup (1 oz./30 g) grated Parmesan cheese
3 oz. (90 g) goat cheese, at room temperature, cut or broken into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
2 Tbs. pine nuts, toasted
Directions:
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and cook just until barely fork-tender, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the asparagus to a plate and set aside. Return the water to a boil.
In a fry pan over medium-high heat, cook the pancetta, stirring occasionally, until crisp and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to paper towels to drain. Do not wipe the pan clean. Add the onion to the fat in the pan and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until lightly browned and soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the orecchiette to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) of the cooking water, and set aside.
Add the olive oil to the pan and stir in the asparagus, pancetta and reserved pasta water. Add the
orecchiette and stir to mix well. Cook until the sauce in the pan thickens just a bit, about 2 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan, goat cheese and pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.
For this and more ideas for pasta dishes you’ll want to serve every night of the week, check out our new Pasta Night, by Kate McMillan.
5 comments
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I had the same thought as Jeffrey. I was about to make it for my husband’s lunch. Perhaps we need to add the Parmesan but leave the goat cheese out if we’re not serving immediately and add separately?!
You absolutely could do this! Omit and Parmesan and goat cheese when you assemble it, and then add them after reheating the pasta.
This recipe sounds wonderful, but in the instructions it says to serve immediately. However, your article indicates its a great meal for lunch. How do you recommend reheating this, especially in an office? I’d be worried microwaving it, especially the parmesan and goat cheese would, would separate the oils making for a less than enjoyable and envious desk lunch. Have you attempted to reheat this?
Hi Jeffrey: We recommend heating it at a not-too-high setting, then stirring and checking it; repeat as necessary. While you don’t want to blast the pasta at high heat, if you reheat gently, the oils in the cheese shouldn’t separate (although they might get a bit melty—not a bad thing, in our minds!).
Alternatively, you could omit and Parmesan and goat cheese when you assemble it, and then add them after reheating the pasta. Hope this helps!