Creamy Tomato Cavatappi with Pancetta
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
12 ounces of Cavatappi pasta
4 cloves of Garlic
½ ounce of parsley
½ cup of panko breadcrumbs
4 ounces of pancetta
2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
2 cups of milk (I use 2%)
½ of grated parmesan cheese
28 ounces of crushed tomatoes
6-8 ounces of fresh spinach
½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1. Preheat your broiler to low or preheat your oven to 500 degrees. If you use the broiler method make sure to keep a very close eye on your dish. It can burn quickly.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Mince your garlic and chop your parsley. Once your water is boiling add the cavatappi to the pot. Cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Drain your pasta and set aside.
3. Place 1 tablespoon of butter into a small bowl. Microwave on high until melted. Add panko and half the parsley to your butter bowl and combine. Season with salt and pepper.
4.Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Make sure to use a oven safe pan. Roughly chop your pancetta and add to your pan. Cook until crisp – usually takes about 4-5 minutes. Transfer pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate. Use a slotted spoon so as to keep as much of those delicious drippings in the pan as possible.
5. Lower heat under pan to medium. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until starting to brown, about 1 minute. Slowly pour in milk, stirring vigorously to incorporate into flour. Bring to a boil. Cook until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, then add Parmesan and stir until melted. No harm if you add extra parm…
6. Add tomatoes and spinach to pan. Stir to wilt spinach, you can add the top to the pan to accelerate this step. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cavatappi pasta, pancetta, and remaining parsley. Season with salt and pepper.