Pea & Herb Pasta Salad with Jowl Bacon
Jowl bacon is a wonderfully fatty cut of pork. Perfect for cubing up, rendering down, and upping the bacon flavor of any dish. Guest Chef Patrick Lane pairs Grass Roots' Farmers Co-op's forested jowl bacon with fresh spring peas, herbs and grated cheese for a multi-layered pasta salad that can be enjoyed warm or packed up and taken on a picnic, hike or to the beach.
INGREDIENTS:
For sautéing:
8 oz jowl bacon, thinly sliced across the short side of the bacon
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 cups peas (fresh if possible)
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp chopped oregano leaves
For the sauce:
1 lb cooked pasta
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp lemon juice
big pinch of salt
¾ cup ground pecorino or parmesan cheese
1 cup reserved pasta water (you won’t use it all)
1 cup fresh basil leaves
½ cup fresh dill
½ cup fresh fennel fronds
½ cup fresh mint leaves
1 tbsp tarragon leaves
To finish the dish:
extra virgin olive oil
more grated pecorino or parmesan cheese to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
Cook the pasta, to your preferred doneness while you make the sauce.
Heat your dutch oven or heavy-based pot, then add the oil and bacon.
Turn the heat to medium, cook the bacon until it is crispy and brown.
Remove the pan from heat and add the garlic, peas, oregano, and thyme leaves. Continue stirring for a couple minutes until you can smell the garlic.
Stir in the cooked pasta, butter, lemon juice, cheese, and salt.
Add the pasta water, a tablespoon or two at a time, until it is saucy enough for you.
Give the herbs a few tears with your fingers then toss them with the pasta.
To serve the pasta, drizzle it with a little olive oil then sprinkle it with grated cheese.
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