Fettuccine with Asparagus and Pancetta

In Mompeo, Italy, home cook Alfonsina Cortegiani showed us how she makes pasta con asparagi e pancetta, an elegant dish featuring wispy wild asparagus and fresh egg noodles. For our adaptation, look for slender asparagus—about the size of a pencil—and cut the spears on the diagonal into 2-inch lengths. If only thick spears are available, slice them about ½ inch thick on a very sharp bias and sauté them for an extra minute or so to ensure the asparagus is properly cooked through. The asparagus is done when the pieces are tender-crisp—they should be supple enough to bend with the noodles but have a little crispness at the core. To contrast the sweet, grassy notes of the asparagus but to pair with the porky notes of the pancetta, we prefer the pecorino Romano cheese over Parmesan.