“Porchetta” Sriracha Fusilli

Place the pancetta in a large, cold sauté pan, and place over low heat to render out the fat, about 7-10 minutes. Render until all the fat in the pancetta is translucent, and there is a nice slick in the bottom of the pan.

While the pancetta is rendering, pick the leaves off the rosemary and sage. Finely mince so you have about 1 tablespoon each. Combine in a small ramekin or bowl, and set aside.

Bring a large pot of heavily-salted water to a boil. Cook the Sriracha Fusilli to al dente, according to the package instructions. Before straining, reserve about ¼ cup of pasta water.

Turn the heat to the pancetta up to medium, and let it crisp up and become golden. Lower the heat again, and begin to build the sauce by stirring in the garlic, and let it soften about 2-3 minutes before adding in the fennel seed and ground pepper. Stir until fragrant, just a minute or two, then sprinkle the herbs over the top and combine. Saute another couple minutes, then season with salt.

Toss in the pasta along with the reserved pasta water, and stir well. Bring the heat back up to medium, and let the pasta water simmer and reduce by half. Sprinkle in cheese, and toss well. Serve immediately, with more cheese over the top if desired.

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Chef’s Note: To make 4 servings, double everything except the fennel (add 1 more teaspoon for a total of 1 tablespoon), and the garlic (add 2 more cloves).