Pasta Piselli/ Pasta with Peas

This is another very simple pasta dish with very few ingredients. Perfect for the cold months as this is served almost like a soup.

            Photo by La Buongustaia

             Photo by La Buongustaia

For 2 persons, all you need is a couple of tbsp of good olive oil.

1/2 a medium sized white onion finely chopped.

100g of Good quality frozen or freshly podded garden peas.

125g of Pasta Ditalini lisci or similar  (small tube shaped pasta).

1 Vegetable stock cube (Dado Star) used instead of salt.

* Optional, a tsp of lard. I use lard to add a richness and depth. It is up to you.

            Photo by La Buongustaia

In a small saucepan pour in the olive oil and add lard. 

Sweat the finely chopped onion on a very gentle heat, until the onion softens and becomes translucent.

Stir in the garden peas and let them take on the flavour of the onion for about a minute or so. 

Pour in enough water to cover the tops of the peas, I use cold. 

Add vegetable stock and bring to a very gentle simmer. Leave on a simmer for 40 minutes, slightly covered.

          Photos by La Buongustaia

Now cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water with the addition of sea salt. This time about 5g. We have added a vegetable stock cube to the peas which will bring this pasta dish plenty of flavour, without the need of additional salt.

When the pasta has almost cooked, drain, retaining some of the cooking water behind and add to the peas. Continue cooking the pasta with the peas until the pasta is 'al dente'. 

Serve into deep dishes and....

Buon Appetito! 

          Photo by La Buongustaia

Diced pancetta can also be added to this pasta dish. Just sear the pancetta in olive oil before adding the finely chopped onion.