Pasta with Peas

Pasta with peas is a simple and tasty dish, perfect for a spring dinner. Here is the recipe with an Italian touch:

Ingredients

• 320 g of pasta (penne, fusilli or the pasta of your choice)
• 200 g of fresh or frozen peas
• 1 small onion
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 80 g of pancetta or guanciale (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• grated Parmesan for garnish
• A pinch of fresh chopped mint (optional)

Preparation

1. In a pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil and sauté the finely chopped onion until it becomes translucent. If you decide to use pancetta or guanciale, add it to the onion and let it brown until crispy.
2. Add the peas, a bit of water or vegetable broth and let cook covered for about 10-15 minutes. If necessary, adjust salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente following the instructions on the package.
4. Drain the pasta, reserving a bit of cooking water, and transfer it to the pan with the peas (and the pancetta/guanciale if you included it).
5. Mix the pasta well with the peas, adding a bit of cooking water if everything seems too dry. Let it flavor for a couple of minutes.
6. Serve hot with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan and, if you like, a touch of fresh mint for a particularly fresh aroma.

Trivia

Pasta with peas is a versatile dish that accepts numerous variations. If you want a more intense flavor, you can add fresh or powdered chili during the sauté. Furthermore, if you’re looking for a richer version, you can enrich the dish with cooking cream, adding it just before combining the pasta with the peas.