Fusilli with Green Beans, Pancetta, and Parmigiano

The pasta's cooking water melts the cheese and turns it into a rich sauce that coats the beans and pulls everything together. If you can't find pancetta, substitute bacon.


Fusilli with Green Beans, Pancetta, and Parmigiano


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Servings: Serves two to three
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Ingredients
 
savings in
 
  •     Kosher saltOn Sale
  • 1/2  pound  fusilli or other twisted pastaOn Sale
  • 4  ounces  pancetta, sliced 1/4 inch thick and cut into 1/2 -inch squares (3/4 cup)On Sale
  • 1  large  clove garlic, smashed and peeled 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths (2 cups)On Sale
  •     Freshly ground black pepperOn Sale
  • 2  tablespoons  unsalted butter, at room temperatureOn Sale
  • 2  ounces  finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup)On Sale

Directions
1.
Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just barely al dente, about 1 minute less than package timing. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, and drain the pasta.
2.
While the pasta cooks, put the pancetta in a cold 10-inch skillet and set over medium-high heat. When the pancetta starts sizzling, add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until starting to brown, 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook the pancetta until golden but still chewy at the center (taste a piece if you're not sure), an additional 2 to 3 minutes. If the pancetta has rendered a lot of its fat, spoon off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan.
3.
Add the beans to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until they're crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the garlic and season the beans with salt and pepper. With the pan still over medium heat, add the pasta, 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and the butter. Toss to combine. Add another 1/4 cup pasta water and 3/4 cup of the Parmigiano. Stir well and season to taste with salt and pepper. If necessary, add a little more pasta water to loosen the sauce.
4.
Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl. Grind black pepper over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

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