I know, I know – there are probably a million recipes on Pinterest for orecchiette with peas, pancetta, and parmesan. But my recipe is made with all pantry and freezer ingredients, so it’s a super easy meal to throw together on nights when you just don’t want to adult anymore. Or those days when you don’t feel like taking two kids to the grocery store.
It’s a #lazymomapproved recipe!
It’s also kid approved! (Although, be warned, your kids may end up putting the orecchiette on their fingers like little hats while they sing “Sister finger, sister finger, where are you?” And then that song will be stuck in your head for eternity…) I also may or may not have showed Graham and Maddie how to stack two orecchiette on top of each other with a pea and some pancetta inside to make a “pasta sandwich.” We play with food sometimes in our house. Don’t judge.
Anyway, if you’re looking for a simply pantry meal, check out my recipe. I keep these small packages of pancetta in my freezer along with a block of parm and a bag of peas. They all freeze well, and, get this – you don’t even have to defrost them before you start cooking!
I just love how some of the peas and pancetta get caught inside the orecchiette – almost like cute little edible orecchiette bowls!
Orecchiette with Peas, Pancetta, and Parmesan
- Prep Time: 5m
- Cook Time: 20m
- Total Time: 25m
- Serves: 6
- Category: Recipes
Ingredients
- 1 pound package of orecchiette pasta
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 4 ounces of pancetta
- 1/2 to 1 cup of parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 clove of garlic
- extra virgin olive oil
- parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Before draining, reserve about a cup of the pasta cooking liquid.
- While pasta is cooking, add about 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil to a pan on medium high. Add the pancetta and cook until it is crispy.
- Grate in 1 garlic clove and add in the frozen peas. Stir into the pancetta, and turn off the heat.
- Add the cooked, drained pasta to the pancetta and peas. Add the parmesan cheese and stir all to combine. If the mixture is too dry, add in a little pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency.
- Spoon into bowls and top with more parmesan cheese and some chopped parsley. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
This sounds easy enough for me to try. Thanks for sharing!