It’s no surprise that I love pasta. There are endless ways to make it new and exciting, and it’s always comforting and delicious. I especially love pasta bakes like this one because they’re easy to make in advance and pop in the oven before dinner. This pasta with peas, pancetta, and goat cheese tastes a little fancy, and it’s exactly what I want to enjoy for date night in with my husband and a movie. I know I create a lot of meals that are great for date night in, but that’s because we enjoy date night in WAY more than date night out. Babysitters are expensive, and our kids all go to bed at 7. A night out once in a while is great, but I love a cozy night on the couch with a bottle of wine and this pasta.
I’m a little obsessed with goat cheese, and it’s so good crumbled on top of salads or pastas like this one. I been buying goat cheese at Trader Joe’s for a while but recently discovered that I can buy it at Costco for even cheaper! And because it’s Costco, that means I always have a ton of goat cheese. It’s really a win for everyone.
Peas and bacon or pancetta are a natural combination, and stirred into a creamy pasta and goat cheese dish is really just the best combination of things. I used frozen peas but if you can get fresh peas while they’re in season that would make it even better! I know I said I love this dish for date night in, but it’s also such an easy dish that it’s a great meal for anytime. Ready in about 30 minutes, it’s a nice dinner to have on even your busiest weeknight.
- 16 oz. pasta
- 8 slices bacon, chopped
- 3 tbsp. flour
- ¾ cup dry white wine
- 2 cups whole milk
- ¼ tsp. allspice
- ¼ tsp. dried thyme
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- 1½ cups fresh or frozen peas
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 4 oz. goat cheese
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- In the same pot, cook bacon until browned. Drain all but 2 tbsp. of the bacon fat.
- Whisk the flour into the remaining bacon fat. Add the white wine and simmer until reduced by half, whisking to avoid lumps with the flour. Add milk and whisk again. Bring to a simmer. Add allspice, thyme, pepper, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Cook until thickened, stirring frequently.
- Stir in peas and parmesan cheese. Return pasta to pot and stir to combine.
- Pour pasta into prepared baking dish. Top with crumbled goat cheese.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted. If you're making this in advance, remove pasta from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Then bake for 30-40 minutes until heated through.
- Enjoy!
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