Hmmm… Red Sauce Pasta e Piselli

Pasta e piselli, or pasta and peas is a dish that’s easy to make. This creamy pasta and the sweet peas dish blend together beautifully for the ultimate comfort food. I like to think of it as one of my “soupy pasta” dishes. 

The light, rosemary and tomato-infused broth is accented with peas, onions, garlic, crispy pancetta and pecorino cheese. Using only a few ingredients, it’s a delicious, complete meal that you can have on the table in about 30 minutes!

There is one thing for certain—this recipe is ITALIAN COMFORT FOOD through and through. A humble, yet beautiful, combination of pasta and peas in a cucina povera (poor kitchen) sort of way.

And, if the flavor itself doesn’t capture you, then the fun of eating the morsels of peas and pancetta nestled inside the tiny shells certainly will. 

Ingredients for Pasta e Piselli : 

• Peas: 5 cups of frozen sweet or baby peas work really well in this recipe and are what I use exclusively.
• Pasta: 1 to 1.5 # … this dish is perfect for tiny shells, ditalini or orecchiette. They are the perfect shape to capture the tiny pieces of pancetta and peas! 
• Pancetta: 6-8 oz cubed… Unsmoked Italian bacon and adds fat, flavor, saltiness and texture to the dish. I’ve eaten this dish both with and without the pancetta and it is equally as delicious. 
• Tomato Paste: 1 6oz can. This gives the dish just the right amount of tomato flavor and savoriness.
• Italian mirepoix - 2 tbsp garlic, 1 large yellow onion, 3 carrots and 2 stalks celery: These ingredients are important components in building a strong base of flavor in many soups, and also add texture and nutrition!
• Fresh Rosemary: Adds tons of flavor and is a very fragrant herb where a little goes a long way!
• Chicken or vegetable Broth : one quart. Homemade is always preferred, but if purchased, I suggest a low- or no-sodium version. (Regular varieties are laden with sodium)
• Parmigiano Rind: Adds a savory depth and body to the broth. 

NOTE: The rind can be used in any soup or sauce, though it’s expensive just for a cheese rind. Keep it as an option.

• Pecorino Romano Cheese: 3/4 cup- Adds sharpness and saltiness to the finished soup–in a good way!
• Olive Oil: 1/2 cup - Used at the beginning of the cooking process to help the pancettaalong, caramelize the tomato paste and sauté the aromatics.

Let’s do some cooking…

We’re going to skip the music today. Instead we’ll watch some baseball. Two teams in the NY Yankees division are hooking up for an early season battle … Red Sox vs Orioles.
 

Ready? Play ball…

1. Dice your pancetta creating small bite-sized cubes. In a large pot heat your olive oil over medium heat and add the pancetta. Cook 8-10 minutes to render the fat. 
2. As your pancetta is rendering, dice your mirepoix and add it to the pancetta. With a wooden spoon (I’m old school and continue to use wooden spoons) scrape the bottom of the pot for any pancetta which may have stuck and continue to cook your mirepoix for 10-12 minutes, until tender. 
3. Add (1) 6-ounce can of tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add 4 cups of stock and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and bring the mixture to a boil. 
5. Once boiling, add 1 pound of your choice pasta and 12 ounces of frozen peas and turn the heat down to medium.  
6. Cook the pasta at a moderate simmer until it is al dente (should take around 9-11 minutes).  Make sure to stir frequently to avoid sticking and add more stock if needed. 
7. Once the pasta is cooked you’re satisfied with the consistency (I’ll call it soupiness), remove the pot from the heat and add the grated Pecorino.
8. Taste and salt and pepper to taste.  If salt is needed, you can add additional cheese to bring up the saltiness and depth of flavor!
9. Serve in bowls, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and plenty of grated Pecorino Romano cheese.  

Ball game over… DINNERS READY