Pappardelle with Creamy Vodka Sauce, Pancetta, Chicken, and Peas

Oli, here's a pasta recipe. Pasta dishes are great because you can throw in whatever you feel like! I always try to have the basics on hand so I can make a hot plate of comforting pasta even if there's nothing else to eat in the house. So always keep noodles, sauce, onions, and garlic around and you'll never starve.

1. Ingredients: Pappardelle, vodka sauce (it's not bad, but doesn't really taste like vodka), pancetta, onions, garlic, shredded chicken, frozen peas, basil, a little red wine, parmesan cheese.

2. Cook the pancetta over medium-low heat until browned and some of the fat renders out. 

3. Take the pancetta out - put into a bowl for later use.  Cook the sliced onions in the pancetta fat.  When the onions are translucent, toss the chopped garlic in and saute those as well for a couple of minutes.  Cook until slightly browned - don't let the garlic burn because it'll get bitter!

4. Deglaze the pan with a little red wine - scrap up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.  That's where the flavor is!

5. Toss the pancetta back in as well as the shredded chicken.

6. Pour in the jarred sauce and some basil - stir and combine everything.

7. Simmer the sauce on low heat until the pasta is finished cooking.  Don't forget to salt the water! When the noodles are almost done, pour in some frozen peas into the sauce.  They cook super fast so you'll want to toss them in at the last minute, just to warm them up.

8. Toss the drained pasta into the sauce and plate.  Grate some parmesan cheese on top and enjoy!