Michela Chiappa’s pasta della nonna
Michela Chiappa’s brightening up your dinnertime with her pasta primavera. A dish passed down from her grandmother, it’s a definite family favourite in her household. With a mixture of colourful vegetables and a simple lemon Parmesan cream sauce, it’s light, refreshing, colourful, and oh so delicious.
Pasta della nonna
Serves 2
Ingredients
200g tagliatelle or spaghetti
4 slices pancetta
8-10 asparagus spears, woody ends removed
30g salted butter
1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves picked
2 large handfuls peas
1 lemon, zest and juice
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle
Parmesan cheese, grated, to serve
Method
1. Place the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water and boil according to the packet instructions.
2. Place the pancetta in a large frying pan and fry until crisp. Remove the pancetta from the pan and place on a plate for later. Keep the pan to one side with the pancetta oil in.
3. Cut the asparagus tips and peel the stalks into ribbons using a potato peeler or a knife.
4. Add the butter into the pan with the pancetta oil and place on a medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add in the rosemary leaves and cook for 2 minutes or until they start to crisp.
5. Add the asparagus tips and ribbons to the frying pan along with the peas and lemon zest. Stir and season with salt and pepper.
6. Once the pasta is cooked, transfer it into the frying pan using tongs and mix to coat in the sauce.
7. Serve into bowls with a squeeze of lemon juice, drizzle of olive oil and grated Parmesan.
8. Crumble half the pancetta and sprinkle over the top of the pasta and top each bowl with the remaining slices of pancetta.