Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) with a heavy baking tray inside — a preheated tray is the key to immediate searing contact. Toss the halved Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Spread them in a single layer on the hot tray, cut-side down without exception. Do not turn them for the first 15 minutes — the direct contact with the hot metal is what produces the deep, caramelized fond on the cut face. After 15 minutes, check the cut side: it should be deeply golden-brown. At that point, roast a further 5 minutes without turning, until the outer leaves are charred and crunchy.

While the sprouts roast, place the diced pancetta in a cold dry skillet. Set the skillet over medium heat and allow the fat to render slowly as the pan heats up. This cold-pan start renders the fat gradually without burning the exterior before the interior is cooked. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until the pancetta lardons are deeply golden-brown, crispy, and the fat has rendered out fully. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat in the pan.

In the same pan with the residual pancetta fat, add the roughly chopped walnuts over medium heat. Toss constantly for 2–3 minutes until they are golden, fragrant, and the walnut fat begins to be visible as a slight sheen on the pan surface. Toasting in pancetta fat rather than plain oil adds a deeply savory dimension to the nuts. Watch closely — walnuts go from golden to burnt very quickly. Remove as soon as they smell deeply nutty and look dry and lightly golden.

Transfer the hot roasted sprouts to a large serving bowl. Add the crispy pancetta, toasted walnuts, and thinly sliced garlic (the residual heat from the sprouts will gently perfume the raw garlic without fully cooking it — this is intentional). Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, half the pecorino, and a drizzle of honey if using. Toss gently but confidently — some of the outer leaves will break off into crunchy chips, which is desirable. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper, lemon juice, or honey to balance. Scatter the remaining pecorino and serve immediately while warm.