Stuffed Shells with Crispy Pancetta & Spinach

My mom, Diane, made this a week or so ago, and I LOVED it! Stuffed shells with a white sauce, definitely a new twist on the traditional favorite. She hasn't gotten around to posting it yet, but I am planning to make it this week, so I looked it up and decided to post it for her. Love you, Mom! It is a Giada De Laurentiis recipe, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Ingredients:
-1 12-ounce box jumbo pasta shells
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-½ pound thick-cut pancetta, cut into ¾-inch cubes
-2 pounds frozen spinach, thawed and drained
-1 15-ounce container whole-milk ricotta
-3 cups grated asiago cheese, plus 1/4 cup
-3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
-1 tablespoon butter
-1 garlic clove, minced
-1 cup heavy cream
-¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the shells and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the shells and set them aside.
3. Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook it until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
4. Add the spinach, ricotta, 1 cup of the asiago cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper to the bowl and stir everything together. Stuff the shells with about 2 tablespoons of the spinach mixture each, and place the stuffed shells in a large buttered baking dish.
5. Melt the butter in a small pot over low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until just golden, being very careful not to burn it. Add the cream, and bring it to a simmer. Turn the heat down very low and add 2 cups of asiago cheese, the parsley, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Stir until the cheese has melted completely. Pour the sauce over the shells. Sprinkle the tops of the shells with remaining ¼ cup of asiago cheese.
6. Bake until a light golden crust has formed on top, about 25 minutes.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality:
- Really, who uses pancetta in the real world... she used BACON!!
- She used the nutmeg but you couldn't taste it, so if you don't have it, leave it out.
- We aren't big buyers of fresh herbs in the winter, too expensive, a few tbsps of dried parsley works fine.
- Mom used half & half instead of heavy cream. I'm gonna try plain old milk this week to try and cut a few more calories out. Your call on that one.