Pasta with Peas and Pancetta

This pasta dish with peas and pancetta is the perfect mix of sweet, salty and superb'and healthy, too.

Ingredients 30 minutes

2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil 1 package (454 g) spaghetti or linguine (for a nuttier flavour and more nutrients, try spelt or Kamut pasta) 1 cup (250 mL) frozen sweet peas 1/4 cup (50 mL) fresh mint, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced (if you not a garlic fan you could use less or none at all) 2 oz (60 g) pancetta, diced (substitute lean bacon, if desired) Red onions, chopped Freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2 lemons, juiced

Directions

1. Cook pasta.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat; add pancetta and cook until edges are crispy. Stir in red onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Add frozen peas to boiling pasta for the last few minutes of cooking. Ladle out 1/2 cup (125 mL) of pasta water and set aside.

4. Drain peas and pasta, then return to saucepan and top with pancetta mixture. Stir in lemon juice and mint, and season with Parmesan cheese and pepper. If dish is too dry, stir in pasta water a little at a time.

Serves 4 to 6

Nutritions

PER SERVING 382 calories 14 g protein 10 g fat (3 g saturated fat) 63 g carbohydrates 2 g fibre 8 mg cholesterol 138 mg sodium