This was great! The recipe was published in the October edition of Food & Wine magazine and I couldn't wait to try it. I made my own whole wheat pappardelle for this dish. To do so, mix white and whole wheat flour (3/4 c each) with 3 eggs, roll out into sheets, and cut into 1 inch wide strips with a pizza cutter. We finished it off with a sparkling pinto grigio.
- 2 cups loosely packed wild arugula (about 1 ounce), plus more arugula for garnish
- 1 medium garlic clove, chopped
- 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt
- 1/2 pound dried whole-wheat pappardelle
- 3 ounces pancetta, sliced 1/8 inch thick and cut into 1/2-inch strips
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- Kernels cut from 2 ears of corn (1 cup)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving
- In a pot of salted boiling water, blanch the 2 cups of arugula for 30 seconds. Using tongs, transfer the arugula to a colander and rinse under cold water. Squeeze the arugula dry and transfer to a blender. Add the garlic and almonds and pulse until finely chopped. With the blender on, gradually add the olive oil in a slow steady stream; season with salt.
- Add the pappardelle to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the pancetta over moderate heat, stirring, until browned, 5 minutes. Spoon off most of the fat. Add the onion to the skillet and cook until translucent, 5 minutes. Add the corn and cook until crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the pasta, reserved pasta water, pesto and butter to the skillet and cook, tossing, until the pasta is hot and evenly coated. Season with salt and transfer to a bowl. Garnish with arugula leaves and serve, passing grated cheese at the table.
SUGGESTED PAIRING: Ripe, full-bodied Chardonnay.