Creamy Farfalle with Peas and Bacon
- Carbohydrate 5.5540115309315 g
- Cholesterol 79.8633886269161 mg
- Fat 33.1066228240068 g
- Fiber 1.49744997835411 g
- Protein 7.15009077080279 g
- Saturated Fat 14.9731565085072 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (210g)
- Sodium 458.62004116064 mg
- Sugar 4.05656155257739 g
- Trans Fat 2.8808269766578 g
- Calories 346 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add farfalle and cook according to package instructions until done.
- In a large skillet, over high heat, saute bacon until browned (3-4 minutes). Remove from heat and use a paper towel to soak up most of the fat.
- Place skillet with bacon back over high heat. Add garlic and saute about 1 minute.
- Add heavy cream to skillet and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the peas to the skillet and return to a simmer. Cook about 3 more minutes.
- Add parmesan cheese into sauce.
- When pasta is ready, drain it and put it back into the pot. Pour sauce over pasta and stir in the chopped parsley. Enjoy!
When working with heavy cream reductions and cured meats, the primary technical hurdle is preventing the dairy from breaking under high heat. This dish utilizes a skillet-based sauce where timing and fat management dictate whether the cream emulsifies properly or separates into grease and solids. Rendering the bacon over high heat requires removing excess grease before introducing the garlic and dairy, maintaining a controlled simmer for precisely five minutes to thicken the cream without scorching the milk solids.
Mastering Cream Emulsions
Heavy cream contains roughly 36 to 40 percent butterfat, which makes it stable enough to simmer, but introducing acid or excessive heat will cause it to curdle. Pressing the garlic rather than mincing it distributes the aromatics evenly into the fat layer without creating bitter burned chunks. Adding frozen peas directly to the simmering cream lowers the pan temperature slightly, which actually protects the dairy while warming the vegetables through in three minutes. Parmesan cheese must be folded in off the direct heat source so the proteins melt into a smooth suspension rather than clumping into a stringy mass.
- If the sauce appears too thick before combining with the pasta, loosen the mixture with two tablespoons of reserved starchy pasta water.
- Keep the bacon pieces small, roughly a quarter-inch dice, to ensure they crisp evenly in three to four minutes without burning.
- Thaw frozen peas thoroughly and pat them dry if possible to avoid releasing excess water into the reducing cream.
