Pasta with pancetta, pecorino, mushroom, and garlic

While home visiting my family, I decided to test my cooking skills by making Angel hair pasta with pancetta, pecorino, mushrooms and garlic. It was hit! I also impressed my brother, who does not try anything new. How are we related?! In his defense, he has celiac disease so his gluten free palate is specific in what it likes. Thankfully he has added a new dish to his taste repertoire.

Do not be intimidated, this dish is easier to make than it seems. Enjoy!

Ingredients

. 1 pound bucatini, perciatelli or thick spaghetti

• ( I used fresh angel hair pasta – refrigerated kind, and for the gluten free dish used gluten free spaghetti)

. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (or 5 tablespoons)

. 5 ounces pancetta, sliced 1/2 inch thick and cut into 1-inch-long pieces (1 cup)*

. 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for serving

. 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

. Salt

. 1/8 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes (optional)

. 2/3 pound mushrooms, sliced

. 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the pancetta pieces and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until the meat is lightly browned and most of the fat is rendered, 4 to 5 minutes
3. In a medium frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil (I used fat rendered from pancetta)* the olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the garlic and the red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic softens, about 1 minute. Add the sliced mushrooms and the salt and cook until the mushrooms exude liquid, the liquid evaporates, and the mushrooms begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
4. add mushroom, garlic mixture to pancetta
5. Add the bucatini to the skillet and toss over moderate heat to coat with the fat, pancetta, and mushroom mix. Add 3/4 cup of the reserved cooking water, the 1 1/4 cups of Pecorino cheese and the pepper and season with salt. Toss the pasta until the sauce becomes very thick and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes; add more of the cooking water if necessary. Stir in Parsley and serve immediately, passing additional cheese at the table.

Kisses, C. Élan