Pasta and peas is a spring soup that, however, can be enjoyed all year round, using frozen peas.
At my home, it is particularly appreciated because, compared to other legume soups that I generally prepare in a lighter version, it is prepared Neapolitan style (of course!!) and therefore with a sauté of onion and bacon, the addition of Parmesan rind and plenty of pepper and cheese to complete the dish.
The “one pot” cooking method, with the gradual addition of hot water, gives the preparation a very pleasant creamy texture.
The ideal pasta shapes for this type of soup are definitely small ones like tubetti, but, I won’t hide it, I often also use broken spaghetti, a bit like I do for Neapolitan pasta and pumpkin.
Now take a minute to read the recipe and then… let’s cook and eat!
See also
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 14 oz peas (fresh or frozen)
- 3.5 oz bacon (slab)
- 1 onion
- 1 Parmesan rind
- to taste grated Parmesan
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper (ground)
- 10.5 oz pasta
- 4 cups water (or hot vegetable broth)
- cubes extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- 1 Pot
- 1 Knife
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Small saucepan
Steps
To prepare Neapolitan pasta and peas, first shell the peas (if using fresh ones) and wash them under running water.
If, on the other hand, you are using frozen peas, skip this step and directly heat 4 cups of water or broth in a small saucepan.
Then proceed to slice the onion very thinly and dice the slab bacon.
In a pot, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sauté the onion and bacon in it.
When the onion is golden and the bacon is browned, add the peas and stir them with a wooden spoon to let them absorb the flavors well, then cover with water or hot broth just to cover.
At this point, season with salt, pepper, and the previously cleaned Parmesan rinds by scraping off the outer layer.
Cover with a lid and cook the peas for about 20 minutes.
When the peas are cooked, add a little more hot water to the pot, bring to a boil, and add the pasta.
Cook the pasta, adding water or broth each time the soup tends to dry out. Make sure to add it little by little, as the final result should be creamy, not soupy.
When the pasta is cooked and the soup has reached the right creaminess, turn off the heat and toss the pasta with a couple of tablespoons of Parmesan. If necessary, adjust the salt.
All that’s left is to plate and finish each dish with another sprinkle of black pepper and more grated Parmesan 😉.
Notes
For an even creamier result, you can blend 1/3 of the cooked peas with an immersion blender and add the cream to the pot along with the pasta.
For an even creamier result, you can blend 1/3 of the cooked peas with an immersion blender and add the cream to the pot along with the pasta.
