What's for Dinner?

Pasta E Piselli

Translation: Pasta and Peas

-Julie Ryan Evans

My good friend Becca went to high school in Naples, Italy. While there, her mother put together an informal cookbook full of some fabulous, authentic Italian recipes. This is one of them that I've made so many times I know it by heart. It's delicious and fairly light. Just serve with some good bread and good wine, and you're good.

Ingredients:

10-ounce box of frozen baby peas or 1 pound of fresh, shelled baby peas
½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
½ pound tiny sea shell pasta or tubetti
1 ¾ ounces pancetta or lean bacon, diced
1/3 cup olive oil
1 medium onion diced
Salt to taste

Directions:

Sauté onions and bacon in olive oil. Add peas and 1 cup of water. Cover and cook over medium heat until peas are cooked. Add 3 more cups of water to peas. Bring mixture to a boil and add pasta shells, stirring frequently over a low-medium. If necessary add just enough extra water to allow pasta to cook. Top with parmesan cheese.