Name: Reginetti Pasta with Savoy Cabbage and Pancetta
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 12 ounces reginetti or other short pasta; Kosher salt; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 6 ounces thinly sliced pancetta (Italian bacon); 1 small head of savoy cabbage, tough ribs removed, leaves torn; 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces; 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves; 1/2 ounce Parmesan, finely grated (about 1/2 cup); Freshly ground black pepper; Poppy seeds (for serving)

We're into the ruffles-on-ruffles look you get from using savoy, but green cabbage is great in its place.

Ingredients

4 servings

12 ounces reginetti or other short pasta

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 ounces thinly sliced pancetta (Italian bacon)

1 small head of savoy cabbage, tough ribs removed, leaves torn

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1/2 ounce Parmesan, finely grated (about 1/2 cup)

Freshly ground black pepper

Poppy seeds (for serving)

Preparation

Step 1
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente (pasta will still be opaque and very firm in the center). Drain pasta, reserving 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking liquid.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium and cook pancetta, turning halfway through, until brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
Step 3
Add cabbage to skillet and cook undisturbed until deeply browned in some spots, about 3 minutes. Toss, then cook undisturbed until deeply browned in other spots, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook and toss until cabbage is charred in some spots and bright green in others and beginning to wilt. Add butter and thyme and cook, tossing, until butter begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add Parmesan, pasta, and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid and cook, tossing often and adding more cooking liquid to help finish cooking pasta, until pasta is al dente and sauce is thickened and emulsified and coats pasta, about 5 minutes. Add pancetta and toss to combine; taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with poppy seeds.

Leave a Review

Reviews (9)

Greasy beyond belief. And I didn’t use as much pancetta and butter as the recipe called for.
- rbav
- California
- 4/14/2020
Surprisingly delish! I couldn't find savory cabbage, so I used bok choy.
- aguzada505
- El Paso, TX
- 4/19/2018
Absolutely delicious and very simple.
- gringaroja
- Boston, MA
- 3/26/2017
It all works! sub brussel sprouts, a different, but somewhat equal pasta - and agree that the key is cooking it properly! Pasta water, finishing the pasta in the sauce - critical to the finished, delicious product!
- jodyradu
- Vancouver, BC
- 11/18/2016
Made this at least 10 times now. Brussels sprouts leaves makes a good substitute when you can't find Savoy cabbage in town. Mini farfalle works if you can't find reginetti and any form for pancetta. So damn simple and delicious!
- kirstenkk
- Truckee, CA
- 9/16/2016
Really enjoyed this recipe, and it was quick to make. Am adding it into the monthly menu schedule with the family.
- Anonymous
- Hudson Valley, NY
- 8/15/2016
A superb dish for a quick main course. I actually used kale in place of cabbage (since I prefer cabbage raw) and it was terrific.
- cheerycook
- DC
- 11/23/2015
This recipe is identical to the Polish haluski , sans the spices
- oldslovenecook
- Denver, CO
- 5/3/2015
Loved this dish! We didn't have pancetta so we used bacon, chopped raw bacon into squares and omitted the olive oil so the cabbage is cooked in the bacon fat. YUM. Used gluten free rotini and Romano cheese. It's key to barely cook the pasta and then finish it off in the pasta water as recipe suggests. We topped off the dish with extra cheese. Really easy to prepare. Only thing I'd do differently is use a medium sized cabbage.
- CapeCodgurl
- Massachusetts
- 4/7/2015
Looks great. Haven't tried it but I think I'll substitute toasted pine nuts for the poppy seeds.
- LouiseKIowa
- Iowa
- 4/2/2015
Incredibly delicious and kind of healthy, can't wait to make it again. Like previous review, we couldn't find reginettti and used campanelle-worked great!
- grazianolinda
- Hanover Park, IL
- 4/1/2015
This recipe is a carbon copy of the Polish dish, Haluski,,, same thing, onions, cabbage, butter,noodles, and bacon....
- oldslovenecook
- Denver, CO
- 4/1/2015
Great! Couldn't find reginetti so I used campanelle. The cabbage was delicious!
- JoshuaGilman
- 3/22/2015
This was truly delicious. Used rainbow chard and red cabbage, as Savoy is hard to find. Added some chopped fresh parsley. Worth the trip for the whole wheat Reginetti!! Will definitely make this again and again. Took me only 20 minutes, and I love that it saves me time.
- Anonymous
- St Paul, MN
- 1/9/2024