Serious Eats
Quick Tip: How to Substitute Bacon for Pancetta
In a quick explainer on the difference between pancetta and bacon (bacon is smoked), Lynne Rossetto Kaspar gives this quick tip: "If your recipe is one of those pure-as-the-driven-snow Italian creations, and if pancetta is out of the question because of price or availability, there is a way to use bacon. Merely boil it for 2 to 3 minutes to get rid of much of the smoky taste."