Fettucine with Peas, Asparagus and Pancetta

The minute the May issue of Bon Appetit hit my front door step, I had a hankering for the cover recipe for Fettucine with Peas, Asparagus and Pancetta. Mind you mine wasn't nearly as beautifully plated or photographed, but it certainly was delicious.

Recipe from Bon Appetit magazine, also found on Epicurious.com: •12 ounces fettuccine or penne •3 ounces pancetta or bacon, chopped •1 1/4 pounds asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces •2 cups shelled fresh green peas, blanched 1 minute in boiling water, drained, or frozen peas (do not thaw) •1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, white and pale green parts separated from dark green parts •2 garlic cloves, pressed •1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving •1/3 cup heavy whipping cream •3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil •3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice •1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel •1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided •1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, divided *I also added two or three large handfuls of fresh baby spinach as well. Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot. Meanwhile, cook pancetta in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon drippings from skillet. Add asparagus to drippings in skillet; sauté 3 minutes. Add peas, green onions, and garlic; sauté until vegetables are just tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add vegetable mixture, 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid, baby spinach, 1/2 cup Parmesan, cream, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon peel, half of parsley, and half of basil to pasta. Toss, adding more cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if needed. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle pancetta, remaining parsley, and basil over. Serve, passing additional Parmesan cheese. Though the sauce had some heavy cream it in, the acidity of the lemon and the freshness of the herbs really lightened up the flavors. Using the pasta cooking water is a great way to avoid using much cream to get a silky sauce.

I had thin pancetta slices from the deli counter. It still crisped up nicely however I would have preferred to have heartier pieces. If you can get a solid chunk that can be diced into cubes, you'd probably get more flavor and better texture.