Today we make the iconic Italian recipe Orecchiette e piselli, or Orecchiette pasta and peas. This vegetarian dish require almost no preparation is super easy to make and has a wonderful, delicate flavor. In just a few minutes, you can make this delicious, nutritious and healthy recipe (well, somewhat healthy… it does have butter)
**** Recipe ****
Ingredients
8 oz. Orecchiette pasta
8 oz. Fresh peas (substitute frozen peas if you can’t find fresh)
2 Tb. butter
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp Japanese style soy sauce
Preparation
In a 10 inch saute pan, bring salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions.
3 minutes before the pasta is cooked al dente, reserved 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
1 1/2 minutes before the pasta is done cooking, add the fresh peas. (Note, if using frozen peas, simply place them in the colander you will drain the pasta into) Bring the pasta back to the boil and continue cooking for 1 minute.
Drain the pasta and return it to the saute pan. Add the 2 Tb. butter and mix until it’s mostly melted. Add the 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking liquid and stir until thoroughly combined and the butter is completely melted.
Add the Parmesan cheese, siring constantly to avoid the cheese clumping. If you are doubling the recipe, do not add the cheese all at once. Add a small handful at a time, let it fully melt into the sauce and then add another handful. Continue until all the cheese is incorporated into the sauce.
Put the pasta into two bowls. Drizzle 1/4 tsp soy sauce over each serving and stir to incorporate.
Serve immediately.
**** Music Credits ****
Music
Swan Hennessy
String Quartet no. 1 Op.46 – I. Allegro
Downloaded from the delightful Musopen
Performed by Steve’s Bedroom Band
Steve Jones (of Steve’s Bedroom Band fame) is a gifted musician, and pretty amazing online entity. Not only does he play all the parts in his performances, but he makes them available for creators to use. I have never interacted with him, but I have the greatest respect. *hat tip*
This music is licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Unported