Pappardelle With Chestnuts and Pancetta.

I made this a few weeks ago.  I had been clearing out my kitchen cupboard and found a vacuum pack of chestnuts left over from Christmas.  Coincidentally, the following day I found this recipe ripped out of The Guardian Weekend, 4th Dec 2010.  Perfect.

Ingredients - 

750g pappardelle (I had to use tagliatelle as Tesco didn't have pappardelle for some reason.)

2 tsp garlic-infused oil (I didn't have this and as I was aiming to clear out the cupboards, not clutter them more, I just added some sliced garlic to olive oil.)

400g cubed pancetta

50g butter, plus more for serving

250g vac-packed cooked chestnuts

80ml dry marsala

125ml pasta cooking water

3 tbsp finely sliced chives

3 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

Method - 

1. Cook the pasta.

2. Meanwhile, in large casserole or wok, warm the garlic oil, tip in the pancetta and cook over high heat until bronzed and crisp.

3. Add the butter and, once melted, tumble in the chestnuts.  Use a wooden spoon to squish them down, so each chestnut crumbles into a good four pieces, stir, add the marsala and let it bubble up.

4. Remove 125ml of the pasta water and tip into the chestnut pan.  Stir and let it bubble a little.

5. Drain the pasta when cooked but still with a bit of bite to it, and add to the sauce, with just under half the chives and parsley and some butter.  Mix gently but firmly, so the ingredients are well dispersed and the light sauce clings gently to the thick ribbons.

6. Sprinkle with the remaining herbs on serving.