Pancetta recipes - with real Italian bacon

I had previously read that pancetta can be substituted with regular bacon. Well, I also read that it was different and actually should not be substituted.

But I thought it was just a case of Italian cookbook writers being picky and nationalistic. So I did not pay too much attention.

In any case, I had not seen pancetta being sold at the local supermarkets. And so, initially, I used regular bacon for that most famous of pancetta recipes, pasta carbonara.

Then two things happened recently that made me change my mind about using regular bacon instead of pancetta.

First, I saw a YouTube documentary about how bacon is made. Someone share it on Facebook and, yucks, it really made me lose my appetite for commercially mass-produced bacon.

Traditional salt-cured meats are a lot more natural and healthier than commercial bacon.

Second, I found genuine, Italian pancetta on sale - at Huber's, a specialist butchery in Singapore. It was rather costly, about three times the price of regular bacon. But after having watched the documentary below, I could not resist trying the real thing.

I had my first taste of pancetta the very morning I bought it. After I bought some, the counter staff gave me the end-part that he had sliced off. I popped it into my mouth... Immediately, I was transported to the time in 1983, when I visited France and had, for my first breakfast upon arrival, melon au jambon (rock melon with ham).

Pancetta may not taste exactly the same as jambon, or its Italian equivalent, prosciutto. But it is of the same class - delicate, sophisticated... and utterly delicious!

Oooooo... how dare anyone suggest substituting it with regular "smoked" bacon in pancetta recipes? I even read in one book on Italian cooking - written by Americans - that say smoked bacon tastes better in pancetta recipes like pasta carbonara. My respect for the authors plunged when I read that!

Well, ok if you are on a tight budget, or if you cannot get the real thing. But if ever you get the opportunity to try genuine pancetta, you should. This is one of those "die die must try" foods!

Pancetta is an okay substitute for another type of Italian salt-cured meat, guanciale. This is made from the cheek of the pig and is very fatty. It has a richer taste than pancetta. Actually, most pancetta recipes are originally recipes that call for guanciale. But guanciale is truly hard to find - and costly if you can find it. In this case, pancetta is okay to use. At least they are made the same way and have the same basic taste.

And so, after my first taste of real pancetta, I started looking out for more pancetta recipes. And I found this:

Pasta Amatriciana

One thing good about pancetta recipes such as this is that they are easy to prepare. The sauce can be made in about the time it takes to cook pasta. Another thing I like about this recipe in particular is that it uses bucatini - a pasta shape slighter fatter than spaghetti, with a hole in the middle like a drinking straw. Always nice to have something different :-)

Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):

• 150 grams pancetta or guanciale, cut into thin inch slices
  
  
• 2 to 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil - use less oil if you have fatty pancetta or if you are using guanciale,.
  
• 1 medium onion, diced
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 or 2 fresh red chilli, chopped fine, or a good sprinkle of dried chilli flakes, according to taste
• 1 can (400 grams) or slightly more canned tomatoes
  
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
  
  
• 300 grams bucatini pasta or spaghetti, cooked according to instructions.

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a heavy pan. Fry pancetta / guanciale over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Take care not to let the pancetta / guanciale burn.
2. Remove from pan, leaving the oil behind. Set aside and cover to keep warm.
3. Using this oil, saute the onion over medium heat, until softened but not brown, about 5 minutes.
4. Add a pinch of sea salt while cooking the onion. Go easy on the salt because the pancetta / guanciale is quite salty. However, s amsll pinch will bring out the sweetness and flavour of the onion.
5. Add the chilli / chilli flakes and cook about a minute more, to release the flavour.
6. Add tomatoes and cook until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
7. Add the fried pancetta to the tomato sauce and toss with cooked pasta and grated pecorino romano.
   
   

Try these other pancetta recipes: