Hello from the Poconos, where our family is residing this long weekend. Glass of Sancerre in hand, bowl of pasta with peas and pecorino nearby, not a sound in the air. Being in NYC is the energy that I grew up on, and yet, I often think the key to survival here is constant escape. To the great outdoors, to the suburbs, to the beach, wherever it is that allows you to find pause and just breathe. Where are you spending the long weekend?
A few weeks ago, I found adorable shelled peas in the aisles of Trader Joe’s, and I wondered what to do with them. I contemplated serving them steamed over a puddle of ricotta. Maybe I should blitz them into a ravioli filling. I even considered just tossing them with some olive oil and grabbing a spoon. But then, my eyes stopped when I saw a little nub of Pecorino Romano on the shelf in my fridge. Have you ever seen that “Under $5” cheese bin in Whole Foods? If not, go find it at your nearest store, because it’s so fun! You can try all sorts of different cheeses without committing to a whole lot of it. It’s like dating all over again- except with very low stakes and very high rewards (b/c how bad could a chunk of cheese be?!)
Anyways, I found this pecorino and my mind bounced to this: peas and pecorino, and of course, pasta! A very simple dish with only 7 ingredients, this can be ready and on the table in under 30 minutes. I love the bright pop of the peas, and the salty bite of the pecorino. Short pasta like chioccole work well here, but anything you have on hand will do just fine. If you wanted to make this dish richer, you could add a little pancetta into the mix (a 4th P?!), but I chose to keep it vegetarian. Recipe is below, and I hope you enjoy! If you end up making it, please share your photo on social media and tag me @janearielkatz!
Pasta with Peas & Pecorino
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 mimutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
A simple combination of pasta, peas and pecorino for a bright and vibrant 30-minute vegetarian dinner
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp salted butter
- 1 box of pasta (I used chiocciole)
- 1 cup of grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 small white onion (minced)
- 1 1/2 cups of English peas
- 3/4 cup of white wine (I used chablis)
- Splash of heavy cream
- Salt + pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add your pasta.
- Meanwhile, warm up butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add onions + season with salt + pep! Let them sweat for a few minutes until they are translucent and starting to brown.
- Pour yourself a glass of wine because you’re worth it.
- Once the onions are golden, add 1/2 cup of pasta water (from the pasta pot) and white wine, plus your peas. Season again with salt and pepper. Seasoning at every step is critical to a delicious pasta dish!
- Once the pasta is al dente (really al dente because it will finish cooking in the skillet) add it to the pan with pecorino. Turn the heat up to high and begin to toss vigorously, coating the pasta in the sauce and the cheese. Add your splash of cream (3-4 tablespoons) and extra pepper.
- Cook the pasta for 3-4 minutes on the stove, until it has absorbed most of the pasta water/sauce. It should look glossy!
- Serve immediately, and do top the bowls with a little extra pecorino. Buon Appetito!
- Category: Pasta, Rice & Grains
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: pasta, pasta recipes, pasta with peas, peas, pea recipes, pecorino, vegetarian dinner, vegetarian recipes, peas and cheese
In the mood for more pasta? Try this spaghetti with noodles and zoodles, or this broccoli gnocchi!
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