½  - 1 pound angel hair pasta

4 oz package diced pancetta

12 oz package frozen peas, thawed

8 oz shredded parmesan + more for serving

1 large shallot, sliced

3 scallions, sliced with whites and greens separated

2 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Dash of ground nutmeg

Salt and pepper

Pinch red pepper flakes

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1. In a deep skillet large enough to hold all of the heavy cream and pasta once cooked, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. 
2. Add the pancetta and cook until some of the fat has rendered and the pieces are becoming crispy, about 12-15 minutes. 
3. Add the shallot and cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. 
4. Mix in the thawed peas and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. 
5. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Transfer the pea mixture to a bowl. 
6. In the same pan used for the pea mixture, pour in the heavy cream. 
7. Stir in the scallion whites and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. 
8. Add the nutmeg (I did three good shakes), and season with salt. Lower heat to medium-low.
9. Mix in the scallion greens and parmesan. Continue stirring until the cheese melts and then taste for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
10. Once the cheese has melted, add the pea mixture back into the cream mixture and keep on low heat, stirring occasionally while you boil water for the pasta.
11. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add three big handfuls of salt. 
12. Cook your pasta to al dente according to package directions. Reserve a cup pasta water and then drain the pasta. 
13. Immediately add the pasta to the creamy pea mixture and mix to combine. If the sauce is too thick, stir in some pasta water or a bit more cream one splash at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. 
14. Serve immediately with a fresh dusting of parmesan cheese on top of your finished dish.

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Recipe Notes:

• Elio's makes this pancetta and peas pasta with angel hair pasta, which I used to keep things authentic. However, angel hair is delicate and can turn gummy if you’re not careful, so I recommend a heartier noodle such as cavatappi, farfalle, penne, orecchiette, or rigatoni if you want to make things a little easier. But if you do opt for angel hair, just note that the sauce is very thick. I advise starting with ½ pound and adding from there until you reach the ratio between pasta and sauce that you prefer.  
• Regarding the serving size, ½ pound of pasta serves 2 as a main dish or 4 as a side dish. A full pound of pasta serves 4 as a main and 8 as a side. Again, the amount of pasta you use depends on the pasta-to-sauce ratio you desire!
• One of the biggest misconceptions when cooking pasta is that you add just a pinch of salt to the water when it boils. As my culinary teachers taught me, pasta water should be “as salty as the sea”. This is your only chance to season the noodle itself, and it’s likely the reason pasta in a restaurant tastes so much better than at home if you haven’t been “seasoning” your water! 
• If your sauce is too thick, you can always add more cream or a bit of your reserved pasta water to thin out the mixture without sacrificing flavor.