Wild Garlic Pesto Pasta with Pancetta
Equipment
- Frying pan
- Food processor
- Large pan
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 200 g pancetta diced
- 350 g bucatini
- 30 g unsalted butter
For the wild garlic pesto
- 150 g wild garlic leaves washed
- 50 g Parmesan cheese finely grated
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
- 1 lemon
- 50 g almonds blanched, lightly toasted
- 125 ml olive oil
- sea salt
- ground black pepper
For the breadcrumbs
- 100 g panko breadcrumbs
- 100 g breadcrumbs
- 50 g wild garlic leaves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Start by making the pesto. Thoroughly rinse and roughly chop the wild garlic leaves then place a small pan of water over a high heat and bring to the boil. Submerge the wild garlic leaves for 15 seconds then remove and rinse under cold water until cool. Squeeze well to remove any excess water.
- Place the wild garlic leaves, parmesan, garlic, zest of ½ of the lemon and the almonds into a food processor and blend to a very fine, smooth paste. Add the oil and blitz again to emulsify then taste and season - adding salt and lemon juice if needed. Set aside.
- For the breadcrumbs, blend the panko and fresh breadcrumbs together with the wild garlic leaves and oil until bright green.
- Place a large, deep sided pan over a low heat and add the olive oil. Place the diced pancetta into the pan and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes. Steadily increase the heat, stirring frequently, until the pancetta is golden and crispy. Remove the pancetta from the pan and set aside.
- Add the breadcrumbs to the fat remaining in the pan and fry, stirring constantly, until golden. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Place a large pot of salted water over a high heat and bring to the boil. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
- Add the pancetta back into the deep sided pan along with the butter and wild garlic pesto. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the pasta cooking water and add the cooked pasta into the pesto. Toss everything together, mixing to coat the pasta with the sauce and adding more pasta water as needed if the sauce becomes too thick.
- Divide the pasta between bowls and top with the breadcrumbs and a little lemon zest.
Notes
Head to the forest and gather a hefty bunch of wild garlic for this recipe. Not to be confused with the three cornered leeks, wild garlic’s broad leaves are pungent from the moment you pick them. It’s worth making this pesto to make the most of the season as it leans heavily on wild garlic for its bright green colour and mild garlic taste. Just make sure you wash the leaves well before use. It’s early but if you spot any of the white flowers on the plants, pick them and use as a garnish.
Nutrition
Calories: 378kcal
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