Potato Soup with Crispy Pancetta

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a stockpot. Add diced pancetta and cook until it releases its fat and turns crispy. Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove it from the fat and leave it to drain on a plate lined with a paper towel.

Add chopped leek, carrots, and garlic to the pot. Stir vegetables around in the fat, reducing the heat if necessary to prevent them from browning too fast. Cook until they start to soften, about 5 minutes or so. Add potatoes and chopped parsley and stir it all together.

Add chicken stock to the pot and increase heat until liquid starts to bubble. Scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat until soup is simmering gently.

After about 10 minutes, check if the potatoes are tender using a fork (there should be no resistance when you give them a poke). If not ready, simmer another few minutes and try again.

Once potatoes are tender, puree soup until smooth and creamy. An immersion blender (or stick blender) is easiest, but ladling the soup into a stand blender works well, too. For the latter, just be sure to let the soup cool first otherwise it might cause a mess.

In a small bowl, combine flour and 2 tablespoons of milk until smooth. Add it to the soup pot and, as the soup thickens, stir in remaining 1 cup of milk and the ¼ cup of heavy cream.

Add lemon juice, salt and pepper. Give it a taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

Ladle soup into bowls. Place a generous 2 tablespoons of grated cheese in the center and top it off with some of the crispy diced pancetta and more fresh parsley.