Pasta with Parsnips and Bacon

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound bacon or pancetta, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 pounds parsnips, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 8 ounces pasta
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion, or parsley
• Salt and pepper
• Grated parmesan

Directions

1. Set a large pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil. While that gets going, place the chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a couple of paper towels, then discard all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat from the skillet.
2. Lower the heat to medium and melt the butter into the bacon fat in the skillet. Stir in the parsnips and cook for about 12 minutes, moving them around often, until they are very tender with a little color. Take the skillet off the heat.
3. Prepare the pasta according to the package directions. Once it is cooked, save 2 cups of the pasta water, then move the pasta straight into the skillet with the parsnips. Set the heat to high and stir in about 1 1/2 cups of the reserved water, along with the bacon and green onions. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. If the pasta seems dry, loosen it with more of the reserved cooking water. Season to taste with salt and pepper.