Pasta and Peas 3 Ways

Pasta and peas is a balanced dish, which means it's always on the menu for the young'uns, though it also strikes a chord in adults. A fundamental of the Mediterranean diet, pasta and peas was born from the Italian peasant traditions that relied on vegetables for protein to compensate for the scarce availability of meat – and the philosophy lends itself to today. Why you should eat pasta and peasCombining two ingredients like pasta (a source of carbohydrates with a low glycemic index) and legumes like peas (a source of vegetable protein) not only results in a nutritionally balanced dish, but also provides amino acids necessary for a healthy diet. In fact, the amino acids missing in the legumes are supplied by the pasta and vice versa. Our ideasYou can prepare pasta and peas several ways, and we’ve selected three classic methods that you can use as inspiration for your own variations and ideas. You can use fresh, frozen, dried, or steamed peas – even peas preserved in jars or cans. Fresh and dried peas will require preliminary boiling, while frozen or preserved legumes can be cooked directly in the pan.Recommended serving: For one portion, we recommend using 3 oz./80 g. each of pasta and peas.Pasta and Peas With PancettaThis classic dish adds a lovely, salty, pork flavor to the pasta dish. To make it, just brown pancetta (or bacon) in a non-stick pan with 1 Tsp. olive oil per person. Once the pancetta turns golden brown, add the peas. Let the peas and pancetta (or bacon) cook well, stirring and turning the pancetta over from time to time. Once cooked, switch off the heat, but cover with a lid to keep it warm while the (short) pasta cooks in boiling salted water. Drain the pasta al dente and mix with the peas and pancetta. Serve with ground black pepper.Pasta and Peas With ProvolaTo get the most out of this recipe, we recommend using a short variety of pasta and boiling it in salted water while the peas cook in a pan with 1 tsp. oil and ½ cup of vegetable stock. Drain the pasta al dente and mix it in the pan with the peas. Add a generous amount of grated smoked provola cheese. Let the provola melt in the pasta and serve hot.Pasta With Pea PestoPrepare the pea pesto by blending the cooked peas with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp. vegetable stock and 1 Tbsp. grated Pecorino. Cook the pasta (we recommend orecchiette) in boiling salted water until al dente, then drain, setting aside some of the pasta cooking water. Finish by combining the pasta with the pea pesto, stirring until the sauce coats the pasta. Complete the dish with a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper and fresh mint leaves – if necessary, add some of the pasta cooking water.