Pancetta Pasta (Quick 4 Ingredient Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is pancetta and how do you cook it? ›

Pancetta is dry-cured and fully aged, so it can be thinly sliced and eaten raw. You can also cook thin slices the same way you cook bacon in a pan if you want to eat alongside eggs with toast. Dicing and slowly rendering the fat out of it is a common way to start many recipes.

Pancetta (pronounced pan-CHET-tah) is a cut of pork belly meat that is salt-cured but not smoked. An Italian specialty, pancetta can be eaten both uncooked and cooked, and is sold both sliced and cubed. Sliced pancetta is best for sandwiches or antipasto boards, while cubed pancetta is best for cooking.

If you can't find pancetta, it's almost always OK to substitute bacon for pancetta. Alternatively, you can substitute pancetta in recipes that call for bacon lardons. The two have very similar textures and flavors since they're both made from pork belly, although bacon has a heavier, smokier flavor.

How to cook pancetta. Fry (cubed, 5 mins; sliced, 2-3 mins each side). Add to pasta sauces, soups, stews, quiches, stuffing; serve with crusty bread and a selection of cold meats; use to top pizza.

in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the pancetta. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Cook it until the fat renders and the pancetta is crispy.

Use your eyes and your nose to know when it's done just right for your liking. Thick (0.25 in (0.64 cm)) slices need to cook for about 5 minutes per side. If you're cooking a package of very thin (often paper-thin) slices, aim for 2-3 minutes per side.

In Italy, pancetta is commonly served as a sliced meat, sliced thin and eaten raw. It can also be used in carbonara pasta (although guanciale is generally regarded as more traditional).

Pancetta is bacon's leaner relative, and they can be used almost interchangeably. While there is really never any substitute for a crispy piece of Sunday morning bacon next to your eggs and toast, there are lots of places where pancetta vs. bacon actually improves on the original.

Offering a good amount of dietary protein, pancetta is rich in B vitamins and minerals like phosphorus and selenium. It has lower fat contents than other bacon products. But, on the other hand, the preservatives that are sometimes added to the pancetta and its high sodium content can be undesirable for some people.

What can I use instead of pancetta? Bacon is the best substitute for adding flavour to soups, stews, pasta and salads. For charcuterie or wrapping meats or poultry, prosciutto is your next best option.

What do Italians use instead of pancetta? ›

Pancetta, which also originated in Italy, comes from the belly of the pig, and is more expensive than bacon or guanciale because the curing process is time-intensive.

Often, people may overcook pancetta which can lead it to lose its distinct flavor and turn excessively crispy. This could be because of its visual similarity to bacon. To get the most out of pancetta, it should ideally be cooked lightly till it just begins to crisp around the edges.

However, after you open a container of either sliced or diced Pancetta, it's necessary to store it in a sealed container to prevent outside air from getting in. When properly stored in the refrigerator, the meat should last for up to 2 weeks.

Cooking pancetta renders its fat and crisps the meat. That's how flavors are developed in foods, by putting them to heat. Raw pancetta just wouldn't be as yummy as cooked.

Bacon is cured with salt and then smoked and sliced. It needs to be cooked before you eat it. Pancetta (sometimes called Italian bacon) is cured with salt, black pepper, and spices and rolled into a cylinder. It is never smoked.

Pancetta is the same cut as American bacon, so that's the first substitute that comes to mind. Canadian bacon, salt pork, prosciutto, smoked ham, and smoked sausage are all good choices as well.

Pancetta has a distinctly porky flavor. It tastes a lot like bacon, but without the smokiness.