Italian Fast Food-Pasta in a Creamy Pancetta and Leek Sauce

This sauce does literally take as long to make, as it takes the pasta to cook! Also you only need 4 main ingredients.



But first, a little bit of history behind the recipe:
When I was at University, I had many different jobs to keep me going and to pay for my fees.
One of these jobs, involved working in the kitchen of a very tiny Italian restaurant. It had 15 seats, one chef, one waiter and one Sous-Chef/Waitress-me!!
I called myself a Sous-Chef, because it made me feel better! My job in the kitchen was to basically watch the chef cook in awe, whilst I chopped the veg or washed the dishes.

Now, the most popular dish in the menu was this recipe!
Seems funny looking back, because the chef used to say to me that no matter what went wrong with all his puritan Italian recipes, he could always fall back on this one recipe.
It took precisely 10 minutes to cook and it is without a doubt, my favourite Italian Fast Food Pasta Version ever!

You will need:
(for 2 people)
Dried Tagliatelle (or any pasta of your choice that can hold a creamy thick sauce)
1 large leek (sliced)
200gs of Pancetta or streaky smoked bacon
A good knob of butter
1 cup of double cream or cream fraiche
salt and pepper to season
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Boil the water for the pasta. Add salt and pasta.
Melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the pancetta until crispy-the butter will absorb the flavours which will add the sauce that extra richness.Add the leek and fry until soft.Add the cream and allow the sauce to thicken. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce in the frying pan.
Mix it altogether and top with some black pepper and shavings of parmesan cheese.
You could also serve it with a nice crispy fresh salad and I hope you enjoy!

Orecchiette Carbonara on Foodista

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