Simple but Tasty Potato and Pancetta Salad

Delicious potato salad recipe that I made up. I always make it for any BBQs or summer parties we have at home and there is never any left. Also make it regularly to eat for lunches and it always goes down well with my friends who sometimes ask me to make extra portions so they can have it for lunch at work too :-) A 1kg bag of potatoes makes enough for 4-8 portions depending on whether you are eating it as a full meal e.g. 4 portions if eating as a meal in itself, or 8 portions if serving as a side at a BBQ etc. It can be eaten straight away but it tastes better the longer it's left for the flavours to mature. I usually leave it at least overnight before eating but sometimes even longer, up to a few days and it tastes better the longer you leave it :-) Please not prep time does not include allowing to cool before adding the mayo.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1  kg new potato
• 3  shallots
• 20  g fresh chives
• 200  g pancetta
• 5  tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
• 3  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
•  cayenne pepper
•  black pepper

Directions

1. Steam the new potatoes in their skins. Put aside to cool down.
2. While the potatoes cool cook the pancetta until crispy (cook in it's own fat that it releases, no added oil). I use smoked pancetta for a nice flavour but unsmoked is fine. Once crispy add the finely chopped shallots and chives for the last 2 minutes only so they are partly cooked but still with "crunch" not fully softened.
3. Peel the potatoes now that they have cooled down then mix with the pancetta, oinon and chives. Leave the mixture to cool fully.
4. Mix the mayonnaise, (I use extra light as I like to limit the fat but you can use normal if you prefer) with the extra virgin olive oil, a good shake of cayenne pepper and plenty of ground black pepper to season.
5. Fold the potato mixture into the mayo and oil and chill until needed.