Orecchiette with Sweet Peas, Pancetta, and Goat Cheese

Ingredients

- 1.75 cups (225 grams) semola or semolina flour

- 0.5 cups (113 grams) water, luke warm

- 0.5 cups (4 oz) goat cheese

- 0.5 cups (4 oz) pancetta, diced

- 0.5 cups (4 oz) frozen sweet peas

- half of a small red onion, diced

- 1 clove of garlic, minced

- 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 1 tbsp fresh basil for garnish 

- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice for garnish

- salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Measure flour onto your cutting board and create a well in the middle large enough that the water won't spill out.

2. Measure your water, just warm to the touch from the sink and pour into the flour well and start mixing with a fork.

3. Incorporate the flour into the water until the dough becomes too stiff to mix with the fork and start kneading by hand. Knead the dough until all the flour is incorporated.

4. Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and set aside for at least 15 minutes.

5. While your dough is resting, heat a large skillet to medium high and start to brown your diced pancetta

6. Once the fat has rendered (about 4 minutes) remove the pancetta from the pan and place on a paper towel covered plate

7. Add a couple tablespoons of olive oil to the rendered pancetta fat and add in your diced onion

8. Sauce the onion for about 5 minutes until they begin to turn translucent

9. Add in the minced garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes, then turn off the heat

10. Fill a large pot with water and salt it generously (2-3 healthy pinches)

11. Start the pot to boil and cover it

12. Return to your rested pasta dough, uncover it and cut it into quarters. Take one quarter to roll out and keep the rest covered in plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out.

13. Take the quarter of dough and start rolling it with your flat palm into a long snake shape. I usually start on one side of the dough rolling it out like play-dough and work my way across to the other side.

14. Once you have the circumference of about 1/4 inch double the long strand of dough upon itself and cut it in half so you have two equal length strands

15. Arrange the strands side by side and cut 1/4” cubes working your way down to the end of both strands of dough

16. Push the little dough cubes to the side of your work surface except for one, pick it up and roll into a ball

17. Place the ball down on your board and using your thumb apply light pressure and scrape your thumb across the ball of dough, away from you, so that the dough ball wraps around your thumb

18. Pinching the edge of the flattened dough, turn the newly created disk inside outbid pushing your pointer finger into the center of the disk

19. Repeat this with the remainder of the dough.

20. Once your orecchiette are all formed, turn back to your sauce.

21. Turn the burner back on under your onions and garlic and add in your goat cheese

22. Once the goat cheese starts to melt, add in the peas

23. While you’re waiting for your goat cheese to melt, carefully drop your fresh orecchiette into the boiling water, stirring to prevent any pasta from sticking to the bottom

24. Add a few spoonfuls of boiling pasta water to the goat cheese sauce to thin it out and then add the pancetta back into the sauce as well as half of the parmesan

25. After about 2-5 minutes your pasta should be floating at the top of the pot which means it is done

26. Strain the pasta and add it directly into the sauce, stirring to combine

27. Add salt and pepper to taste and finish the pasta with a spritz of fresh lemon juice

28. Plate immediately and garnish with grated parmesan and fresh basil