Fresh Pasta With Bacon and Peas (With Video)

Prep Time:

5 mins

Cook Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

20 mins

Servings:

6

Our recipe for fresh angel hair pasta with bacon and peas takes just 20 minutes and five ingredients to make. It's inspired by pasta alla carbonara, and is just as well suited for a weeknight dinner as it is for entertaining. Sautéeing shallots in rendered bacon fat lends savory depth to the easy cream sauce, which is finished with frozen peas. We love the texture of fresh angel hair pasta, which you can find refrigerated at the grocery store, but you can swap in one pound of dried pasta if needed. Serve this silky, satisfying meal with crusty bread and a side salad—and wonder why you haven't made it sooner.

Fresh vs. Dried Pasta

There are plenty of differences between fresh and dried pasta, including when to use each one in a recipe.

Ingredients: Fresh pasta is made with flour (often the "00" variety), eggs, and sometimes olive oil, whereas dried pasta is usually made with semolina and/or durum wheat flour and water.

Texture: Dried pasta is typically cooked until al dente, when it still has a bit of bite, which helps it hold up in heartier sauces. It also tends to have a rougher exterior, which can help certain sauces cling to it rather than slide off. Fresh pasta, on the other hand, comes out more tender and takes much less time than dried. The noodles have a much smoother texture as well.

Cost and shelf life: Dried pasta can last in the cupboard for years without any degradation, thanks to the drying process. It is much more affordable than fresh pasta, with a box ranging from $1 to $4 dollars, depending on the brand. Store-bought fresh pasta has a much shorter shelf life—ranging from three days to two weeks, depending on the brand and packaging style—and is pricier than dried pasta.

Best uses: Fresh pasta is ideal for using in delicate, lighter-bodied sauces made with cream, eggs, or pesto (think carbonara, cacio e pepe, and this creamy bacon-and-peas recipe). Dried pasta is better suited for richer, heavier sauces like bolognese, sugo, and even a basic marinara. That said, you can swap in dried pasta for fresh, you may just want to cook it a bit past al dente for certain applications.

You can use heavy cream or light cream in place of the half-and-half in this recipe for a slightly creamier sauce.

Directions

Cook bacon; reserve fat in skillet:

Set a large pot of salted water to boil. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain (leave fat in skillet).
Cook shallots; add peas and half-and-half:

Add shallots to skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add peas and half-and-half; season with salt and pepper. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
Cook pasta; reserve water and drain:

Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot.
Toss pasta with sauce; add bacon and serve:

Pour sauce over pasta; toss to combine, adding some reserved pasta water a little at a time to coat. Sprinkle with bacon, and serve immediately.

Storage

Due to the softer, more tender texture of fresh pasta—particularly angel hair—leftovers may tend to soften considerably in the refrigerator. You can refrigerate leftover pasta in an airtight container for up to one day, but we don't recommend hanging onto it for longer than that. Reheat pasta gently in the microwave on 50% power, stirring occasionally, for best results.