Leek and Pancetta Pasta

Score! Momma got a brand new pan!

No, I don’t mean momma as in the mother of this blog.

I mean my actual momma got a brand new pan.

And it is freaking awesome. It makes me want to squeal like a school girl.

But even more than that, it makes me want to cook stuff.

Like this tasty pasta dish.

I loved it because it is light, but still has bold flavors.

The rest of the family loved it because it reminded them of a pasta version of fried rice from Benihanas.

You will need…

4 leeks, chopped

1 pound spaghetti (I try to always use whole wheat)

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 ounces chopped pancetta

4 eggs

½ cup parmesan cheese

½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by boiling some water to cook your pasta.

While the water is boiling, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.

When the oil is hot, add in the pancetta and cook until it is golden brown and crispy.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta to a paper towel to remove the grease.

Leaving the grease in the pan, add in the leeks.

Season the leeks with salt and pepper and cook them just until they start to brown. Around 7 minutes.

Right as the leeks begin to brown, add the pasta into the boiling water and cook per the package instructions.

When the pasta is done cooking, reserve ½ a cup of the pasta water and drain the rest of the pasta.

Using your leeks, create 4 little nests for the eggs.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil into each nest and then crack 1 egg into each nest.

Cover the pan and cook the eggs just until the white are set. You still want the yolks to be very runny. This should only take about 2 minutes with the lid on.

As soon as the eggs have set, add the pancetta and the pasta back into the pan.

Sprinkle with the parmesan and add in the parsley.

Finally, add the reserved pasta water and mix everything together.

Toss well and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela