Hot Pepper & Pancetta Pasta Salad & Delorean

I first had this dish a couple of weeks ago while I was tailgating with my girlfriend’s family before a soccer game.  I was hooked upon first bite and immediately went home to try and recreate it.  This is perfect for a summer picnic or even a quick lunch to pack to work.

Music: Delorean - Ayrton Senna EP Now everytime I make this dish I will think of soccer.  So of course that leads to Barcelona, my favorite soccer team.  So, while making this, I decided to listen to some great music out of Barcelona!

Ingredients:

1 lb of Pasta (Penne, Bowties, whatevs)

1/4 lb of Pancetta (or bacon for those on a budget like myself, or turkey bacon for those who don’t eat ham, or tofu bacon for those who don’t eat meat)

1 Green Pepper

6 oz of Hot Pepper Rings (In jar at grocery store)

1 Red Onion

3 Tbl of Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Crushed Red Pepper to Taste

1/4 cup of Parmesan

Directions: Cook Pasta until it is Al Dente.  Drain (Do Not Rinse! You lose all the good starch if you do this).  Add Olive Oil and let cool.  Meanwhile, cook pancetta on medium heat on a frying pan until cooked throughout…about 5 minutes(Never cook pancetta or bacon above medium as it will burn parts of the meat without cooking the other bits properly.  Medium makes it well rounded and perfect throughout!)  Cut up Pancetta into small peices and mix in with Pasta.  Add remaining ingredients and mix.  Salt and Pepper to taste.  Enjoy!