Pasta and peas with tomato and pecorino, a simple first course to prepare as an alternative to the usual pasta with fresh tomato and basil. Although peas are a spring legume, we can’t resist using them all year round, taking advantage of the frozen ones for their goodness and because they are rich in minerals such as potassium, iron, magnesium, vitamins, and proteins, not forgetting folic acid. This is a dish my mom often prepared during the spring harvest period, and my dad would plant and collect so many that we would freeze them for the huge production quantity.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons, Spring
- Energy 520.70 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 76.61 (g) of which sugars 4.28 (g)
- Proteins 17.61 (g)
- Fat 18.90 (g) of which saturated 4.09 (g)of which unsaturated 1.17 (g)
- Fibers 5.85 (g)
- Sodium 2,665.60 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 310 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 5.6 oz smooth penne
- 3.5 oz frozen peas
- 1.3 cups tomato puree
- 0.7 oz pecorino
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp fine salt
- 3 leaves basil
- 1 shallot
Tools
- Pan
- Pot
Steps
In a pan, with a swirl of oil, sauté the finely chopped shallot until golden. After five minutes, add the frozen peas. Cover for a few minutes and add the tomato puree with the salt, cook for twenty minutes. In a pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook the smooth penne. A couple of minutes before the end of the cooking time, drain the pasta and mix it with the peas and tomato. Add extra virgin olive oil, basil leaves, and grated pecorino off the heat and serve.
Here it is, ready and steaming, the pasta and peas with tomato.
FAQ
How to freeze peas to use them all year round?
Shelled peas blanched for 3 minutes can be frozen (once cooled) by placing them in food plastic bags for up to 6 months.
How to make legumes more digestible?
One trick to make legumes more digestible is to cook them with carminative herbs like bay leaves, fennel seeds, oregano, and cumin, ginger, and peppermint.
Can I use onion instead of shallot?
Yes, of course, you can use onion instead of shallot to prepare pasta and peas with tomato.
