Cheese and Peas Pasta

Yep, I love pasta! When I see a pasta dish that looks this good I’ve got to try it! This pasta dish was inspired by the Pasta Queen as seen in the Fall Recipe Issue of William Sonoma California catalog. I made the recipe as is the first time around but found it a little bland … lacking depth. (Admittedly, I just recovered my taste & sense of smell after a bout of covid.) I’ll stick with my additions. Give this a try if you love pasta and of course peas.

Recipe

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Cup diced onion-yellow or white

4 Cups frozen peas-thawed

Salt and pepper to taste

Quart chicken or vegetable broth

1 Pound ditalini pasta-cooked al dente per package directions

2 Eggs

3/4 Cup each grated Romano cheese and Parmesan cheese plus more for sprinkling

1 Cup chiffonade basil

In a large skillet that can manage all ingredients heat the oil over medium/low heat. Add the onion and sauté until limp and translucent.

Increase the heat to medium. Add the peas and cover with preheated broth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

After about 8 minutes remove about 3/4 of the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Be cautious about blending while still hot. Next push mixture through a sieve with the back of a spoon. An alternative to this procedure is to simply use a masher and mash the peas while in the skillet. Not all the peas will give way to this process and the product will not be as creamy.

Add the cooked pasta to the pea mixture. Save some of the pasta water just in case you need to add moisture to the dish.

Mix the eggs and cheeses. After removing the skillet from heat stir in this egg/cheese mixture quickly.

Taste for need of additional salt and pepper.

Mix in half the basil and save the remaining for garnish.

Sprinkle with additional cheeses.

Mangia!