Creamy Pancetta, Mushroom and Spinach Fettuccine
A beautifully rich and creamy pasta made with pancetta, mushrooms, spinach and walnuts.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
Method
Chop the walnuts if using, then heat a dry frying pan and dry roast for 1-2 minutes until the walnuts are lightly toasted then set aside.
Avoid using a non-stick frying pan for dry roasting as it can damage the non-stick coating
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil, and fry the pancetta for 4-5 minuted until crispy and golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the butter the pan along with the shallots and fry for a minute until softened, then stir in the garlic followed by the mushrooms, season with a little salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes until the mushrooms have softened and browned.
Add the pancetta back to the pan, then pour in the white wine and cook for a 2-3 minutes until reduced.
Stir in the cream and bring to boil, then add the spinach and allow it to wilt (about 1-2 minutes) . Give everything a good stir, check the seasoning and remove from the heat to stop the spinach getting too soggy.
Meanwhile, bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to packet instructions.
Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the water, then add the pasta to the sauce. Give everything a good stir to allow the creamy sauce to coat the pasta, add a little of the pasta water to loosen the sauce a little if it need it. Serve immediately with a few of the toasted walnuts (if using) and parmesan cheese grated over the top and little more cracked black pepper if you wish.
About Creamy Pancetta, Mushroom and Spinach Fettuccine
This is a dish I came up with when I had pancetta in the fridge that needed to be used up. Pancetta goes really well with mushrooms as they absorb the flavour of the fat which the pancetta releases, I then opted to create a creamy white wine sauce and add a bit of spinach to balance out the flavours, and honestly this has become one of my favourite pasta dishes. I personally like to add the walnuts for a bit a texture and nuttiness, however, don't go overboard as too many walnuts can take away from the rest of the dish. Once you've got this down, you'll be able to put it together in around 20-25 minutes making it ideal for mid-week or when you've not got time to do a long cook. Enjoy!
How to Cook Creamy Pancetta, Mushroom and Spinach Fettuccine
Heat a frying pan and toast the chopped walnuts for 1-2 minutes until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large pan and fry until golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Melt the butter in the same pan you just cooked the pancetta in and fry the shallot (or 1/2 an onion) for 2-3 of minutes until softened.
Stir in the garlic then add the mushrooms to the pan, season with a little salt and pepper and cook for 4-5 minutes until the mushrooms have softened and browned.
Add the pancetta back to the pan and pour in the white wine and cook for around 3 minutes to reduce.
Meanwhile, cook the fettuccine according to packet instructions in well salted boiling water.
Add the pancetta back to the pan then stir in the cream and simmer for around 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
Add the spinach to the sauce and give it a stir - you really want quite a lot of spinach here because as it wilts it will shrink significantly!
Cook the spinach until just wilted (around 1-2 minutes) then turn off the heat, don't allow it to overcook otherwise it will become bitter and soggy.
Add the pasta to the pan and coat in the creamy sauce. You can add a little of the pasta water to loosen the sauce a little if you wish.
Serve the pasta sprinkled with a few of the toasted walnuts and grated parmesan cheese.
Questions and Substitutions
What can I use instead of fettuccine?
Any long flat pasta shape will work well in this dish, such as linguine or tagliatelle, you could also use a tubular pasta shape like penne or rigatoni if you prefer.
What can I use instead of white wine?
The white wine is used to both deglaze the pan and add acidity to cut through the richness of the cream, making the dish feel lighter, so you could just add a splash of water for deglazing and add a squeeze of lemon for the acidity.
Do I need to add walnuts?
No, the walnuts add a nice bit of texture and a nutty earthy flavour but if you don't like them or don't have any you can leave them out. This pasta will still taste great without them!
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