This pasta recipe would be lovely for a Valentine’s Day dinner with its combination of two culinary favorites – luscious pappardelle and crispy pancetta! Pappardelle is a wide, flat pasta, likened to fettuccine. The name derives from the Italian verb pappare – to gobble up – and that’s exactly what happened at my house! It pairs perfectly with the essence of lemon and tender asparagus into one amazingly satisfying dish. And it comes together in a flash!

-Jolly, MIHC Team

Ingredients *gathering your items from Trader Joe’s makes this a budget-friendly take on a gourmet culinary delight!

• 3-4 teaspoons olive oil
• 8 ounces pancetta, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound egg noodles – Pappardelle (lemon pepper variety)
• 2 tablespoons fine sea salt
• lemons for garnish
• cracked pepper, for topping

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Meanwhile, preheat a skillet over medium to medium low heat. Add olive oil, pancetta and garlic and cook until crispy. Then add in the asparagus and a pinch of salt, stir and cook until tender and golden. About 5 to 8 minutes.

Once the water is at a rolling boil, add in the 1 tablespoons of sea salt and the pasta. Cook until al dente according the the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, grate the fresh Romano cheese and black pepper. Once the pasta is cooked, use tongs to transfer the hot pasta from the pot and add immediately to skillet. Add grated cheese. Toss to combine.

Serve pasta in bowl with extra grated cheese on top, fresh lemon wedges and a few grinds of black pepper.