Tangy and irresistibly heady, this truffled goat cheese elevates ear-shaped pasta studded with green peas and crispy pancetta.
Orecchiette with Peas, Pancetta, and Truffle Tremor
If you can’t find orecchiette, feel free to substitute it with another short pasta shape, such as penne, fusilli, or farfalle.
Ingredients
- 5 ounces pancetta diced
- 1 small red onion finely chopped
- Kosher salt to taste
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup frozen or fresh peas
- ¼ cup chicken broth or white wine
- 1 pound orecchiette
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 ounces Cypress Grove’sTruffle Tremor rind removed, plus more to garnish
- 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice from about 1 lemon, more or less to taste
- ¼ cup chives finely chopped, to garnish
- ¼ cup parsley finely chopped, to garnish
- Freshly cracked black pepper to garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil for cooking the pasta.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add pancetta and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, or until pancetta is browned and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- In the same skillet, add onions and a big pinch of salt and sauté until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for a minute more. Stir in peas and broth or wine and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until liquid has evaporated and peas have warmed through and are tender. Season mixture to taste.
- Season boiling water with salt, add the pasta, and cook to al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of the starchy cooking water.
- Stir pasta, pancetta, butter, and goat cheese into pea mixture. Add a bit of pasta water, stir, and continue adding more until a silky sauce is formed. Stir in lemon juice and season to taste.
- Serve the pasta in shallow bowls garnished with more crumbled goat cheese, a sprinkling of chives and parsley, and a few cracks of black pepper.
Polina Chesnakova
Polina Chesnkova is a Seattle-based food writer, cooking class instructor, and the author of Hot Cheese: Over 50 Gooey, Oozy, Melty Recipes.
