Penne with Pancetta, Onions and Chopped Tomatoes

A simple easy and tasty pasta dish, a recipe from Gino D'Acampo. Have you heard of him? I first watch him cook when he was a frequent guest chef at Saturday Kitchen, a BBC cooking show hosted by Antony Worrall Thomson, that was years ago.

I've used streaky bacon as pancetta is not easily available. And I've added more chilli flakes, which gives a mild spicy taste to the sauce.  I made this pasta for a weekday after school lunch, and it was delicious. One that I would not mind making again, as it is quick, easy and tasty! 

Penne with Pancetta, Onions and Chopped Tomatoes
(Pronto by Gino D'Acampo)
serves 4
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 large white onions, peeled and finely sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
250gm diced pancetta
2 x 400gm can chopped tomatoes
500gm penne rigate
4 tablespoons freshly chopped flatleaf parsley
salt, to taste

1. Bring 5 litres of water to the boil in a large saucepan with 1-1/2 tablespoons of fine salt.
2. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat and fry the onions for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add the chilli and pancetta and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes.
3. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, stir well and gently simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring every couple of minutes. Season with salt once the sauce is cooked.
4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente. To get the al dente perfect bite, cook the pasta for 1 minute less than instructed on the packet and always keep the pan uncovered. A good-quality dried pasta will take 8-10 minutes to cook.
5. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and tip back into the same saucepan in which you cooked it.
6. Pour over the sauce, add the parsley and stir together for 30 seconds allowing the flavours to combine.
7. Serve immediately with a large glass of Italian red wine.

If you have any of Gino D'Acampo's cookbooks, join us at Cookbook Countdown. This month's theme at CC is cooking from any of Gino D'Acampo's books. Or simply cook from any of your cookbooks (not necessarily Gino's) or magazines and link your post at CC here.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #27 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray