This Cheese Tortellini with Peas & Pancetta is a light, but flavorful dinner recipe.
Background: A friend used to make Cheese Tortellini with Peas & Pancetta for us and we loved it! The light sauce and sweet peas perfectly complement the rich tortellini. This is a great Italian dinner recipe that the whole family will enjoy.
- 1 pound cheese tortellini
- 4 ounces chopped pancetta
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2-4 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 2/3 cup milk
- 1 cup frozen sweet peas
- ½ cup freshly grated fontina
- ½ cup freshly grated pecorino or parmesan cheese
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Lemon wedges, as needed
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add the frozen peas to the boiling water for 30-60 seconds, just until warmed through. Remove and set aside. Add the tortellini to the same water and cook according to the package directions, or until el dente. Do not overcook. Drain and set aside.
- Place the pancetta in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook until the fat renders and the pancetta is crispy. Remove and set aside.
- Add butter to the same skillet. Add garlic and saute for just 30-45 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the garlic from burning. Stir in the flour until well combined. Slowly whisk in the milk and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. As the sauce thickens, season with salt and pepper to your liking. Add the grated cheese into the sauce until melted. Then add the tortellini and half of the crispy pancetta.
- Add a squeeze or two of lemon and serve with the remaining pancetta as garnish.
Serve this dish with an Italian Gentlemen cocktail and Lemon Brownies for dessert.
