Fresh Basil Pesto, Pancetta + Parmigiano Pasta
Salty, savoury pancetta and Parmigiano-Reggiano are paired with the brightness of fresh basil pesto in this simple and delicious pesto pasta sauce recipe.
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This lovely pesto pasta sauce is as simple as it is impressive. Makes a wonderful second-course after a nice bowl of soup. A larger portion with a salad on the side makes for a very satisfying dinner.
I recommend a traditional handmade fresh or dried egg pasta in whichever noodle variety you personally prefer; pictured here is fettuccine pasta.
Fresh Basil Pesto
Fresh basil pesto is one of my favourite green sauces because it can be used in many different ways.
It is also incredibly easy to make and I give you detailed instructions here:
Traditional Basil Pesto (Properly Made In The Correct Order)
Don’t have a mortar and pestle? Get one. Once you start using it in your kitchen, you will see this old-fashioned kitchen tool is still very useful and relevant. It’s not just quaint decor.
And if you grow your own basil, you can have pesto year-round, even in the dead of a cold Canadian winter.
I grow culinary herbs year-round in my condo. I’m currently putting together multiple guides to help you guys do the same.
My basil growing guide can be found here, and it is specific for indoor growing:
There is no reason to be intimidated by growing your own herbs, this is a very simple thing to do and the pay-off is pretty great.
Pancetta
Pancetta is loved in Italy and Croatia alike, we always had some on hand growing up.
There are countless things you can do with pancetta that add a savoury-salty-umami aspect to many recipes, and you don’t even have to use that muuch.
If you do not have access to pancetta, substitute guanciale or bacon. Bacon will likely be the most affordable option if that is a concern, but will not take away from the slightest in this recipe.
Fresh Or Dried Egg Pasta?
Fresh pasta is not superior to dried pasta, it is just different.
A popular misconception is that fresh pasta is better. Nothing could be further from the truth.
A creamy and light sauce with dairy can really shine when paired with fresh handmade pasta.
An oilier heavier sauce, on the other hand, might shine better with dried pasta. A great example would be my ‘nduja pasta sauce recipe (my favourite pasta sauce recipe).
This particular pasta recipe is pretty heavy on the Parmigiano-Reggiano, both in the fresh basil pesto and from the addition of the cheese at the end.
However, it also contains pancetta.
So which would be better here? Dried or fresh pasta?
I personally think fresh pasta is best here but dried still works without taking anything away from it.
Use whichever you prefer, or try both to see if you can even discern a difference.
My only recommendation is to stick to egg-based noodles whichever way you decide to go.
And there are exceptions within Italian cuisine itself which don’t follow the “rules” I mentioned too.
I hope you enjoy this simple recipe of fresh basil pesto, pancetta, and Parmigiano. If you have any questions, or comments, leave them below.
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh gnocchi or a dried pasta
- 1 cup of finely diced pancetta or bacon
- 1 cup full-fat cream
- ¼ cup chicken stock or white wine, or 1 cup water and 1 chicken stock cube
- 1 cup rustic breadcrumbs
- ½ cup of fresh basil pesto
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- In a shallow pan on medium-low heat, add the diced pancetta and breadcrumbs. Slowly allow the pancetta to render its fat out and become crispy and the breadcrumbs to toast and turn brown, remove from pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, on medium heat, add the cream and chicken stock. Allow it to get to a bubbly simmer and then add the gnocchi. Cover pan and allow to cook for 5 minutes.
- Uncover the pan and stir the sauce and gnocchi for a few more minutes until the sauce is thick and creamy. If the sauce begins to get too thick, just add a splash of stock/wine/water. Taste the sauce for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.
- Once the sauce is thickened, remove from heat and stir in your fresh basil pesto. Taste again and adjust the amount the pesto and seasoning if needed.
- Add the pancetta-breadcrumb mixture on top, some freshly cracked black pepper, and serve immediately. You can add parsley, fresh basil leaves to garnish.
