Tiny Urban Kitchen

Exploring Food from Boston to Hong Kong and Beyond

  • About Me
  • Travel
  • Recipes
  • Michelin
  • Subscribe
  • Taiwanese
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About Me
  • Travel
  • Recipes
  • Michelin
  • Subscribe
  • Taiwanese
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About Me
    • Travel
    • Recipes
    • Michelin
    • Subscribe
    • Taiwanese
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    • Trivet London
      Trivet London - 2 Michelin Stars
    • Bibi London
      Bibi London - Michelin Indian Food
    • Planque London
      Planque London: Tasting the Unexpected
    • Bala Baya London
      Sunday Brunch at Bala Baya London
    • Ta Vie Hong Kong
      Ta Vie Hong Kong 旅 (3 Michelin Stars)
    • Pleka IFC Hong Kong
      Pleka IFC Hong Kong - Italian Japanese fusion
    • Nanjing, China
      Weekend Trip to Nanjing China
    • Po Toi Island and Stanley Hong Kong
      Po Toi Island and Stanley Hong Kong
    • Wakaran Hong Kong
      Wakaran Wan Chai
    • Godenya Hong Kong
      Godenya Hong Kong (revisited)
    • The Chairman Hong Kong
      The Chairman Hong Kong (1 Michelin Star)
    • Hanu Wan Chai Hong Kong
      Hanu (Korean Beef) Wan Chai
    Home » Recipe » Meat » Pork

    Squid Ink Pasta with Parsnips and Pancetta

    Published: May 17, 2010 · Modified: Oct 25, 2014 by Jennifer Che

    Squid Ink Pasta with Parsnips and Pancetta
    Have you ever had squid ink pasta? Bryan and I tried it for the first time in Venice while on our honeymoon. Squids use the dark ink as an escape mechanism, spraying dark clouds of it into the water to confuse their predators. Squid ink imparts a salty, briny ocean flavor and lends a beautiful black color to any dish that uses it.

    We had the most amazing squid ink pasta several months back at Mario Batali's B&B Ristorante. When Bryan and I saw fresh homemade squid ink pasta for sale in the North End (Boston's Italian district), we knew we had to get some and try it with one of Mario Batali's recipes.

    I found a simple Mario Batali recipe for a squid ink pasta dish that he serves at Babbo, his NYC establishment. I was surprised at how easy this recipe was, considering that the flavors are decently complex and the dish presents beautifully. Of course, the hardest part is finding the squid ink pasta, but you can make this dish with normal pasta too. Honestly, I'm not sure how much extra flavor the squid ink pasta contributed in my case, since this pasta's "squid" flavor was actually quite light.
    Parsnips
    This dish can come together in less than 20 minutes total - it's that easy and quick. Basically, you render the fat out of the pancetta, use the rendered fat to brown your vegetable of choice (in this case, parsnips), and toss in the pasta and combine! Throw in some pasta water to perfect the texture of the sauce, and finish off with some chopped parsley.

    That's it! And it tastes really good too!
    Squid Ink Pasta
    adapted from Mario Batali courtesy of MSNBC

    Squid Ink Pasta with Parsnips and Pancetta
    serves 4 | prep time: 20 min

    • 1 lb fresh Squid Ink Pasta (can substitute with regular pasta)
    • Kosher salt
    • ¼ pound pancetta or slab bacon, cut into ½ -inch cubes
    • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • ½ pound parsnips, peeled, halved, and cut into ¼ inch half-moons
    • Freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped to yield ¼ cup
    • Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving

    In a 12 to 14-inch sauté pan, cook the pancetta over high heat until it is browned and the fat has been rendered, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside. Add the butter and parsnips and sauté over high heat without shaking the pan too much until they are golden brown and slightly crispy, 5 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, add the parsley, and cook 1 minute longer.

    Cook the fresh homemade pasta in the boiling water until tender yet al dente, about 2 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water, and add the pasta to the pan with the parsnips and pancetta. Toss over high heat to coat the pasta, adding pasta cooking-water as necessary to keep the sauce from getting too tight. Divide equally among four heated pasta bowls, grate Parmigiano-Reggiano over each bowl, and serve immediately.

    Enjoy!
    Squid Ink Pasta with Parsnips and Pancetta

    ©2009-2014 Tiny Urban Kitchen
    All Rights Reserved

    More Italian

    • Lucciola The Hari Wan Chai
      Lucciola - Italian food at The Hari Hotel in Wan Chai
    • Divino Restaurant
      Divino Patio Hong Kong
    • A Tribute to Al Molo Harbour City
    • Ciak In the Kitchen
      Ciak In the Kitchen Hong Kong

    Recent Posts

    • Trivet London - 2 Michelin Stars July 13, 2025
    • Bibi London - Michelin Indian Food July 9, 2025
    • Planque London: Tasting the Unexpected July 4, 2025
    • Sunday Brunch at Bala Baya London July 1, 2025
    • Ta Vie Hong Kong 旅 (3 Michelin Stars) June 27, 2025
    • Pleka IFC Hong Kong - Italian Japanese fusion June 24, 2025
    • Weekend Trip to Nanjing China June 20, 2025
    • Po Toi Island and Stanley Hong Kong June 17, 2025
    Jennifer Che Tiny Urban Kitchen

    Hi, my name's Jen and welcome to my cooking, eating, and travel site! I am an expat who moved from Boston to Hong Kong 5 years ago. Born and raised in Ohio to Taiwanese immigrant parents, I am a chemistry nerd, patent attorney by day, blogger by night, church musician on weekends, and food enthusiast always. Feel free to explore away, maybe starting with the Recipe Index or one of the travel pages! I hope you enjoy this site!

    More about me →

    logo
    Food Advertisements by

    Explore

    • Recipe
    • Restaurant
    • US Travel
    • World Travel

    Popular Posts

    • Always Joy Hong Kong
      Always Joy Hong Kong
    • Michael Chiarelli Ottimo Yountville California
      Bottega + Ottimo Yountville
    • Ciccio Yountville California
      Ciccio Yountville
    • Charter Oak St. Helena Napa Valley California
      Charter Oak St. Helena Napa Valley California

    Recipes

    • Appetizer
    • Snacks
    • Meat
    • Vegetables
    • Soup
    • Salad
    • Seafood
    • Noodles

    Recently Traveled

    • Hong Kong
    • France
    • Belgium
    • Boston
    • California
    • United Kingdom
    • Germany
    • Spain

    Support Us

    Support Tiny Urban Kitchen by making purchases on Amazon through our affiliate link:

    Recognition


    Featured on the front page
    of the FOOD Section: 2015

    Best Food Blog Awards:
    Restaurant & Dining 2012

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • My Equipment
    • In the Press
    • Project Food Blog
    • Privacy Policy

    Eating Guides!

    Eating & Travel Guides
    Trip Reports
    "Kawaii" (Cute Foods)
    Around the World

    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube
    • Mail
    • RSS Feed

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Shop at Amazon

    Copyright © 2024 Tiny Urban Kitchen