Try making Orecchiette with Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta. The garlicky stir-fried brussels sprouts are fabulous with any short pasta, and the pancetta provides a salty note, but you can of course leave it out if for a vegetarian meal.
Orecchiette with Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta Recipe
Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
100 g (31/2 oz) unsmoked pancetta, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for the pancetta and to serve
350 g (121/2 oz) brussels sprouts
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chilli flakes, to taste
3 garlic cloves, finely crushed or chopped
400 g (14 oz) orecchiette 1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
Method:
In a wide frying pan, large enough to hold all the pasta later, fry the pancetta with a drizzle of olive oil until crispy. Transfer to a bowl, keeping the pan handy and letting it cool a little. Slice the bottom off each brussels sprout and cut each sprout into quarters lengthways.
Heat the olive oil in the same pan, add all the sprouts and toss with some sea salt and chilli flakes. Spread the sprouts in one layer across the pan and leave to cook over a high heat for about 5 minutes so they get a little charred, making sure not to disturb them too much. After 5 minutes, turn the heat off and toss the garlic through the sprouts with another drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Bring a large saucepan of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta, give it a good stir so that it doesn’t stick together, and cook until al dente (check the packet instructions). Halfway through the pasta cooking time, add a ladleful of the pasta water to the brussels sprouts, turn the heat back up and leave to bubble away until the pasta is ready.
Keeping a mugful of the pasta water, drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the brussels sprouts. Add a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water, along with the butter, parmesan and some black pepper and toss well. Add the pancetta and toss again, adding a bit more water if the pasta is looking dry.
Serve piping hot in shallow bowls, with a drizzle of olive oil and lots of parmesan.
Orecchiette pasta perfectly scoops up and holds thick, chunky sauce. Hungry for more pasta recipes?
For a quick and easy pasta dinner make, Orecchiette with Broccoli and Fried Bread Crumbs, click here for the recipe
This orecchiette with grated zucchini and trout is the ultimate weeknight dinner solution, click here for the orecchiette with grated zucchini and smoked trout recipe
Winter in Tuscany by Amber Guinness, published by Thames & Hudson Australia, AUD $64.99 / NZD $69.99, published 2 September 2025. Images © Valentina Solfrini.
