Pasta del Maresciallo: Creamy Tomato Pancetta
Quick weeknight pasta combining sautéed red onion, crispy pancetta, tomato pulp, and fresh cream. The sauce comes together during pasta cooking time, finished with fresh basil. Rich and satisfying without complicated technique.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Finely chop red onion and sauté in olive oil with salt in a pan until softened
- 2
Add diced pancetta and cook over high heat until it begins to release fat
- 3
Add tomato pulp and salt, simmer for about 15 minutes until sauce reduces slightly
- 4
Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions
- 5
Stir cream into the sauce and mix well
- 6
Tear or add basil leaves to sauce
- 7
Drain cooked pasta and toss in the pan with sauce
Tips
Use high heat when cooking pancetta to render fat properly
Salting the onion as it cooks helps release moisture and soften it faster
Good to Know
Refrigerate covered with plastic wrap for 2-3 days. Reheat in pan or microwave.
Sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead; reheat gently and stir in cream when plating
Serve immediately after tossing pasta with sauce
Common Mistakes
Cook pancetta over high heat to render fat properly and avoid chewy texture
Do not skip the 15-minute simmer of tomato sauce to avoid watery final dish
Add cream off heat or at low temperature to avoid curdling