Pasta with Pancetta and Leeks

from The Pioneer Woman Website

Ingredients

* 12 ounces, weight Pasta, Cooked Al Dente (my box of Farfalle was 16 ounces, so I upped all the amounts)
* Reserved Pasta Water, If Needed (a mug-full)
* 3 ounces, weight Chopped Pancetta (6 slices thick cut bacon)
* 3 whole Leeks, Sliced Thin (1 very large Vidalia onion, small chop)
* 1 Tablespoon Butter
* ½ cups Dry White Wine (3/4 cups chicken stock)
* ½ cups Heavy Cream (3/4 cup)
* Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper, To Taste
* Parmesan Cheese, Shaved (instead I finely grated at least 1/2 cup, maybe 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, plus some large grated for anyone to sprinkle on top)

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta and set aside. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.

Saute chopped pancetta (bacon) until fat is rendered and it starts to brown. Add sliced leeks (onions) and cook for 8 minutes. When you add the leeks, you can also throw in a pat or two of butter if you want to. This’ll give the dish some scrumptious flavor. I add it after the bacon is browned because I don’t want the butter to brown. After 8 to 10 minutes, pour in wine (chicken stock), then cook an additional 1-2 minutes, until reduced. Reduce heat to low (remove from the heat), then pour in cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in Parmesan shavings (grated Parmesan). Toss in pasta, adding a little pasta water to thin as needed. Serve with Parmesan shavings over the top—delicious (really!)!

Random note: Often I hear cooks say that certain pastas are better for certain sauces--that the way they are shaped helps carry the sauce better. I've never noticed any difference--until this dish. I found that the little pinch in the middle of the farfalle (bowtie) carried a little extra sauce that made this dish a little more enjoyable than if there was an even coating of sauce on the pasta. Three "a little"s in that there sentence. Is that some literary device I should remember? Anyway, I warned you this was a random note.

Update: Okay, I tried this recipe again using reasonably priced, non-organic leeks, costing $2.50 for four from Harmon's. While I liked the flavor, I have to say I did not like the squeeky-cheese experience that happened every time I bit into the leeks! Really. You know the sound cheese curd makes (if it's the good stuff). Well that was the sound we made eating the leeks! Now I love the flavor of leeks. I know this because of the out-of-this-world-fabulous Potato Leek Soup that we make (hope to put that recipe up this fall). But in that recipe, the last thing you do is blend everything so it's a smooth, velvety bit of loveliness. No chance of a squeak there. So my recommendation is, ditch the leeks and use a large Vidalia onion in this recipe.