Pancetta Pesto Pasta

1. Start by making the pesto by adding all the ingredients to a food processor and blitz until smooth but with still a little texture. Add a little salt and lemon to start, give the processor bowl a scrape and give the pesto a taste. Add a little more salt, lemon (or both!) to your taste before giving a final blitz to combine. Set aside.

Note: The recipe makes enough Pesto for four servings but making extra is always a good idea! Either spoon into a jar and top with extra virgin olive oil to keep in the fridge for a few days or freeze a jar for future Pancetta Pasta cravings!

2. Fill a large saucepan with water and place on a high heat. When it comes to the boil, add a generous amount of salt then add the pasta, stirring every now and again.
3. As the pasta cooks, place a large pan on to the hob and add the pancetta slices to the cold pan. Heat on a medium-high heat and as the pancetta reaches temperature it will fry in its own fat. No extra oil required! Turn regularly until you see the fat go from translucent to opaque. You want it to be crisp. Remove and add to a kitchen paper lined plate to drain.
4. Turn down the heat and add the chopped almonds to the pan and stir to coat in the fragrant pancetta oil and to toast and lightly brown. Add to the paper lined plate to drain.
5. As soon as the pasta is ready, drain, add back to the saucepan and stir through the pesto and mix well.