Pancetta is Italian salt-cured bacon flavored with spices. It is made by taking two long sides of bacon and rubbing them into the salt and spices. It is then folded one into the other and tightly tied together and hung until ready. Pancetta is used mainly as a way to add flavors to other dishes, such as rissoto and pastas. Sliced thinly then diced, it can be sauteed with onions to create background flavors. When purchasing or slicing make sure the string and outer casing have been removed. If tightly wrapped, it can keep for up to 3 weeks refrigerated.
