Pancetta, Broccoli and Dolcelatte Pasta

This recipe is based on one of my favourite dishes from my local Italian restaurant. It’s a powerhouse of a dish, with a creamy, cheesy sauce and salty pancetta. Topped with plentiful Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper, and it’s an absolute dream of a meal.

I’ve added broccoli to my version – it goes beautifully well with the sauce and adds a bit of fresh greenery and sweetness.

It’s one of those meals where you eat your gorgeous bowlful of pasta and immediately feel comforted. It’s like a hug, and it’s ready in just 15 minutes.

The Ingredients

• This dish uses smoky pancetta – an absolute necessity here. Although you could switch for smoky bacon, it won’t quite be the same. Do try to use a good high quality pancetta if you can get it. If you’re wondering what else to cook with it, see my pancetta recipe guide.
• Next up is the dolcelatte. Dolcelatte is a soft, blue Italian cheese. It’s very mild in flavour, not like a Stilton or other strong blue cheese- it’s more like a creamy mild goats cheese. It works beautifully in this dish, offering just a light undertone of creaminess and saltiness. You could substitute it with a soft goats cheese, if you like.
• I’ve used tender stem broccoli in this dish. It’s not something that is used in the dish I based it on, but I did love it here. In all honesty, I just wanted to add some veg to my evening meal, and this was perfect. I always find tender stem broccoli a little luxurious- it’s a sweeter, smarter version of standard broccoli. The great benefit here is that it cooks so quickly, ensuring that this meal is ready in just 10 minutes.
• Next up, rigatoni. Now, I used rigatoni simply because that’s what the restaurant uses! It works, but you could easily sub for some penne if that’s easier for you to get hold of.

How to Cook This Pasta Recipe

• 1. Cook your pancetta until golden and crisp. Add the broccoli and diced onion and cook for another couple of minutes. Meanwhile, get your pasta cooking in a large pan of boiling water.

• 2. Add the creme fraiche and dolcelatte and a mugful of the pasta cooking water. Cook gently, stirring, until you have a creamy sauce.

3. When the pasta is ready, drain and add to the sauce. Stir well and it’s ready to eat.

Pancetta, Broccoli and Dolcelatte Pasta

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A creamy pasta dish with pancetta, broccoli and a mild blue cheese, which is ready in 15 minutes – perfect for weeknights.

Harriet Young Start Cooking in Cook Mode

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time 13 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Serving Size 4 people

Ingredients

• 100 grams diced pancetta
• 1 onion, diced
• 200 grams tender stem broccoli
• 100 grams Dolcelatte
• 100 ml creme fraiche
• 300 grams pasta

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• First, bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add your pasta and cook for 10-12 minutes until al dente.
• Put a wide based pan on a medium heat. Add your pancetta and cook for 1 minutes, then add the onion. Cook for another 3 minutes until the pancetta is golden.
• Cut the broccoli into 2cm chunks and add to the pan. Cook for 2 more minutes.
• Add a dash of water to the pan, then stir in the crème fraiche and dolcelatte. Turn the heat down to low and cook gently, stirring often for 5 more minutes.
• When the pasta is cooked, drain and retain 1 mugful of the pasta water. Toss the pasta with the sauce and enough water to make it mix together nicely.
• Serve immediately, topped with black pepper and Parmesan.

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