Easy Pasta With Pancetta and Mushrooms (Pasta Funghi e Pancetta)

I love cooking Italian food, and I love exploring different pasta recipes. Pasta is very versatile, and tomato sauce is not the only thing you can put on it.

In fact, sometimes you do not need to make the sauce at all. In this recipe the combination of pasta, pancetta, mushrooms, caramelized onions, cheese and some starch water from cooking pasta will make a fabulous pasta dish.

In this dish I am using pancetta. What is pancetta? Pancetta is cured meat that is similar to bacon. It has been cured, but not smoked. But if you do not have pancetta, you can substitute bacon for pancetta in this recipe. And, you may skip it all together – pasta with mushrooms, caramelized onions and cheese is a very tasty pasta dish on its own.

In this recipe I am using penne pasta, but any short cut pasta will do.

Here are more pasta recipes for you: Spaghetti and Meatballs, Fried Spaghetti, Parsley and Basil Pesto Recipe, Garlic Olive Oil Pasta Recipe (Aglio e Olio).

Tools You Will Need To Make Easy Pasta With Pancetta and Mushrooms

Knife
Cutting Board
Saute Pan
Grater
Dinner Plates
Pasta Pot

Ingredients for Easy Pasta With Pancetta and Mushrooms (Pasta Funghi e Pancetta)

1 pound of penne pasta
1/4 pound of pancetta
1 pound of crimini or white button mushrooms
3 garlic cloves
2-3 ounces of Asiago, Parmesan or Pecorino
A handful of Parsley
Olive Oil for cooking

You will also need to make Caramelized Onions

How To Make Easy Pasta With Pancetta and Mushrooms (Pasta Funghi e Pancetta)

Make caramelized onions.

Chop pancetta and saute it until cooked. Remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels.

Chop the garlic. Chop the parsley.

Chop the mushrooms and saute in olive oil until they are done, about 10 minutes. A few minutes before the mushrooms are done, add chopped garlic to the pan.

Grate the cheese.

Cook pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta and reserve some of the pasta water.

To the pan with mushrooms, add caramelized onions, pancetta and pasta and mix. If it looks too dry, add some of the reserved pasta water. To serve, arrange the pasta on dinnerware plates, sprinkle with grated cheese, garnish with parsley.