Description
Enjoy a comforting bowl of creamy tagliatelle pasta, featuring crispy bacon or pancetta, sautéed onions, and a rich Parmesan cream sauce. This quick and flavorful dish is perfect for a satisfying dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 300g tagliatelle pasta
- 150g bacon or pancetta, diced
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 200ml heavy cream
- 100g grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Start by gathering all your ingredients. This will make the cooking process smoother and more efficient.
- Dice the bacon or pancetta into small pieces, ensuring they are uniform for even cooking.
- Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic. Set these aside as they will be added to the pan shortly.
- Grate the Parmesan cheese if you are not using pre-grated cheese. Freshly grated cheese will melt better and enhance the flavor of the dish.
- Chop fresh parsley for garnish. This will add a pop of color and freshness to your creamy tagliatelle.
- Fill a large pot with water and add a generous amount of salt. The water should taste like the sea, which will help season the pasta.
- Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, add the tagliatelle pasta. Stir gently to prevent the strands from sticking together.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, usually around 8-10 minutes, until al dente. Stir occasionally.
- Once cooked, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta in a colander. Do not rinse the pasta, as you want to keep the starch that will help thicken the sauce.
- In a large skillet or frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the diced bacon or pancetta to the pan. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy and golden brown.
- Once the bacon is cooked, add the chopped onion to the pan. Sauté for about 3-4 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and soft.
- Add the minced garlic to the pan and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the garlic from burning.
- Reduce the heat to low and pour in the heavy cream. Stir well to combine with the bacon and onion mixture.
- Allow the cream to simmer gently for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will help thicken the sauce slightly.
- Add the grated Parmesan cheese to the cream mixture, stirring continuously until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a little reserved pasta water to reach your desired consistency.
- Season the sauce with salt and black pepper to taste. Remember that the bacon and Parmesan are already salty, so taste before adding more salt.
- Add the drained tagliatelle pasta directly into the skillet with the creamy sauce.
- Toss the pasta gently in the sauce, ensuring that every strand is coated evenly. If the sauce is too thick, add more reserved pasta water a little at a time until you achieve the desired creaminess.
- Cook the pasta in the sauce for an additional 1-2 minutes over low heat, allowing the flavors to meld together.
- Once the pasta is well coated and heated through, remove the skillet from the heat.
- Plate the creamy tagliatelle in serving bowls or on a large serving platter.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and additional grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
- Serve immediately while hot, and enjoy your delicious creamy tagliatelle!
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, you can substitute the bacon or pancetta with sautéed mushrooms or smoked tofu.
- Feel free to add vegetables like peas or spinach for added nutrition and color.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes