White Wine Spaghetti

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 ounces pancetta, cut into ¼-inch pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 (750-ml) bottle dry white wine
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 5 ounces (5 cups) baby arugula
• 1 ounce Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (½ cup), plus extra for serving
• ⅓ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted and chopped coarse

Instructions

1. 1Place a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and warm the extra-virgin olive oil with the chopped pancetta. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the meat becomes brown and crispy. Starting the pancetta in cold or slightly warm oil helps render the fat more effectively.
2. 2Remove the crispy pancetta using a slotted spoon and set it aside on a plate lined with paper towels. Discard the excess fat from the skillet, leaving exactly 2 tablespoons behind.
3. 3Lower the heat to medium-low, then stir the minced garlic and red pepper flakes into the skillet. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic takes on a golden color. Watch closely here, as garlic burns fast and turns bitter.
4. 4Pour 1 1/2 cups of the dry white wine into the skillet and raise the heat to medium-high. Let the liquid bubble for 8 to 10 minutes until it reduces to about 1/2 cup, then stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
5. 5Fill a large pot with 4 quarts of water and bring it to a rolling boil. Stir in the spaghetti and 1 tablespoon of salt, cooking for about 4 minutes until the noodles are flexible but still undercooked. Scoop out 2 cups of the starchy cooking water and set it aside, then drain the pasta.
6. 6Move the partially cooked spaghetti into the skillet with the reduced wine. Set the pan over medium heat, pour in 1/2 cup of the remaining unreduced wine, and toss the noodles continuously until the liquid disappears.
7. 7Keep pouring in the rest of the wine in 1/2-cup increments, tossing the pasta constantly. Cook for about 8 minutes until the spaghetti reaches an al dente texture. If the wine evaporates before the noodles finish cooking, pour in 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and continue tossing.
8. 8Take the skillet off the heat and scatter the baby arugula over the hot pasta. Pour 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water directly over the greens, cover the pan, and let it rest for 1 minute.
9. 9Stir in 1/4 cup of the grated Pecorino Romano cheese and the heavy cream. Toss everything together until the arugula is mixed through and a light sauce coats the noodles, then season with salt and black pepper.
10. 10Move the finished pasta to a serving platter and top it with the toasted pine nuts, crispy pancetta, and the remaining 1/4 cup of Pecorino Romano.

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