Let’s get something out of the way upfront: I like bacon. Bacon is nice. The bacon we buy in vacuum-packed pouches at grocery is crap. When cut straight from the slab or purchased from the butcher, bacon is wonderful.

But pancetta…pancetta, my friends, is otherworldly. Rolled, seasoned and cured, this Italian take on salted pork belly is my preference for cooking. Need fat for your recipe? Render some pancetta. Want to add a little richness to a dish? Pancetta. Looking to add some flavor to ice cream? Well, not pancetta, but you get my drift.

I’ve never used pancetta as a replacement for bacon prior to these recipe, and now I’m not sure why. It cooks easier and faster than bacon, has much more flavor and is easier to deploy on this sandwich.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not turning my back on bacon, but every so often you need something extra. And, pancetta delivers.

WHAT WORKED: Oven-roasting the pancetta instead of pan-cooking. I’ve long been a believer in oven cooking bacon, so this was a no brainer. Also, the store-bought pesto added some bulk and creaminess to the eggs where additional dairy would have been utilized.

WHAT DIDN’T: We have one toaster in the house and it is a dedicated to gluten-free products for The Kid. I was concerned about griddle-cooking the rolls (i.e. burning them) but it worked out okay though I pulled them a little early.

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy.

BEST FOR: Weekend breakfast or brunch, or on the night when you want breakfast for dinner.

SERVE WITH: Orange juice. It only seems right.