Saturday, April 2, 2011

Peas Please Pasta



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's time to bring the glorious blues and greens and yellows of spring to the kitchen. Meals are getting lighter, and salads and quick entrees are beginning to replace slow-cooking winter fare. Today's recipe is a response to spring, and it's lovely shades of green leave no doubt that winter has passed. This pasta is quick, easy and delicious and it makes a perfect meatless meal. Any macaroni can be used to make it, but I love the way the long strands of spaghetti looked when napped with this luscious sauce of cream and a flavored pea puree. While peas are not everyone's favorite vegetable, I hope you'll give this a try. I like it well enough to keep it in my permanent recipe rotation. If served when just sauced and piping hot, any aversion to peas will be forgotten and the pasta will be eaten with gusto. It is also a wonderful way to get vegetables into younger children, especially if you omit the whole pea and pine nut garnish. This dish is table ready in 30 minutes. It's best to make no more of this than can be eaten in a single meal because it can get goopy once it's refrigerated. Enough said. Here's the recipe.

Peas Please Pasta
...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Michele Humes

Ingredients:
12 ounces of spaghetti
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2-1/2 cups frozen peas, divided use
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
Optional: Finely grated Parmesan cheese to pass at table

Directions:
1) Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook spaghetti until tender but still firm to bite, using times suggested on package instructions.
2) Meanwhile, place oil and butter in a large skillet. When butter melts add onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 2 cups of frozen peas and cook until softened and bright green in color, about 2 minutes. Transfer contents of pan to a blender. Add cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg and puree until smooth.
3) Strain puree through a sieve back into skillet. Discard solids. Heat sauce to warm through.
4) Run reserved 1/2 cup peas under hot water to thaw. Drain pasta, reserving about 1 cup of water. Turn spaghetti into sauce and toss to coat each strand with puree. If too thick, add pasta water a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Transfer to a serving platter and top with reserved peas and pine nuts. Pass cheese at table. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Tagliatelle with Peas and Canadian Bacon - Guvi's
Chilled Spring Pea Soup with Garlic Cream and Bacon - One Perfect Bite
Peas and Thank You - Bitter Sweet
Baby Bow Ties with Peas and Ham - Noble Pig
Minted Pea Puree (topper for bruschetta) - Talk of Tomatoes
Peas with Onions and Mint - One Perfect Bite
Meatballs with Peas - Jaana's Kitchen
Salmon and Pea Risotto - Coconut and Lime
Peas with Lettuce - Never Enough Thyme
Risotto with Smoked Salmon, Spinach and Peas - One Perfect Bite
Lemon Mint Snap Peas with Lima Beans or Edamame - One Perfect Bite
Spaghetti in Creamy Peas Sauce with Crisped Prosciutto - Serious Eats

62 comments :

Tanna said...

We love peas; so this will be an automatic hit around here!! Blessings ~ Tanna

carolyn bradford said...

Oh my word...I'm still trying to figure out our time difference...but ...I LOVE peas and I love pasta and this looks wonderful!! I'm so happy to be finally thinking of salads and lighter pasta meals now that Spring is here!! Which is why I posted my thing about watermelon radishes! Have you ever heard of them? I certainly had not until we went to the best restaurant here in B'ham and had a salad with watermelon radishes!! Can't wait for you to see the pics of how well they are growing....thats how very much I loved them!! Let me know if you've had them before!!! Can't wait to try this dish, Mary! You are such a dear and I always appreciate and look forward to what you have to say!!!!
Sincerely,
Carolyn

Elaine said...

I really love peas, so this looks like a perfect Spring meatless meal.

Shirley said...

Love the greens in the pasta.

Unknown said...

I would love to give this a try! It is Autumn here ~ but that won't stop me!

Anonymous said...

That green is very tantalizing! What a great color! And, I love peas and pasta. Yum!

Gloria Baker said...

I love peas Mary and love this, have a lovely Sunday, huggs, gloria

Unknown said...

Oh my lanta that looks so good! I cannot wait to try this out.

Carol @ There's Always Thyme to Cook said...

Peas and pignoli nuts, love this combination! What a simple but delicious dish. Have a great weekend.

GLENDA CHILDERS said...

I am liking the sounds of this . . . foods for spring.

Fondly,
Glenda

Ginny Hartzler said...

This looks like any child would eat it even if they don't like peas, pea spaghetti!!!

Nammi said...

yumm, thats nice and simple pasta dish. and using just peas too :)

Three-Cookies said...

This could suit St. Patrick's day - green plus peas are popular:)

Banana Wonder said...

Love how you pesto-ed out these peas and how it can totally be veganized (for us fasting folks). Makes me excited to go to the Portland Farmers Marketing tomorrow!

Julia @ DimpleArts said...

We just had bow tie pasta with peas tonight for dinner and it was delicious. Your pasta looks great!

Mayet said...

Hello! Blog hopped from Wendy. Your site is very nice... and yummy! :) I guess I'll read a lot here from now on. :)

Alessandra said...

This look great and the colour is just so pretty!
Thank you Mary

ciao

Alessandra

cocoa and coconut said...

Loving this idea! Peas and pasta would be a great combination; I wonder why I've never tried it before? Good to hear it can be made quickly too.

Martha said...

Looks yummy -- and although using frozen peas it does say spring, doesn't it!

Gen said...

Nice color!!!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

I love peas and am especially looking forward to fresh Spring peas. Spring is late but it is here!!

Anonymous said...

Toasted pine nuts sound really yummy Mary, never thought about tossing them in with Pasta, what a great idea.

Ana Rita Marreiros said...

A great pasta dish, to bad my kids don't like peas!!!
I do hope some day they will....

Have a nice weekend,
Rita

Big Dude said...

I would have never come up with this, but it sounds very good. Looks like the perfect dish for pasta lovers to have for St. Patrick's day.

Deb in Hawaii said...

Very pretty dish--peas and pasta is a great combination and of course the pine nuts are a great addition too.
;-)

Jeannie said...

My favorite colour! looks healthy too and delicious too! I love peas:)

Whats Cookin Italian Style Cuisine said...

Mary this is about the prettiest pasta I have ever seen!

StephenC said...

We're great fans of peas. Always have them in the freezer. This recipe inspires me.

mia maria said...

This definitely is a Spring dish:) I love the color!

Schnitzel and the Trout said...

How much cream....did I miss it? Lovely dish for a pea lover like me.

Mary Loyal said...

How much cream? Looks wonderful!!

Vicki Wilde said...

This looks so bright and spring-like, I love it! And from your linkwithin, looks like you've got quite a few pea recipes! Yum

Guvi said...

Dear Mary, your recipes look wonderful, you are a true inspiration! Thank you so much for the reference and I wish you a lovely weekend!

Suman Singh said...

Wow, thats looks so green and refreshing..love it! Thanks for sharing the recipe..have a nice weekend! Take care!

T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...

It was touch and go as to whether winter had truly passed here in the east, but I think we have finally turned the corner! I love peas in any dish - it's been a favorite of mine since childhood. This looks lovely, and I amazed at how you got those strands of spaghetti to curl so beautifully for the photo!

penny aka jeroxie said...

I should pesto the peas for winter! great idea.

June said...

I'm afraid "meatless" and "peas" are two things not allowed in our household as long as the Big Guy's boss (or I let him think he is) so I'll be trying this next time he's out of town. LOL

Angie's Recipes said...

I am thinking to make some pasta for dinner too. Pasta with peas sounds great.

Anonymous said...

Your blog is amazing and the pictures are beautiful! Thanks for visiting me, I will be back here many many times to copy some of your recipes to my recipe book! XOXO, Debora

Kath said...

I really do like peas, so this looks fabulous to me! I like the idea of using a tablespoon of butter with the olive oil. I've recently lost my fear of cream - part of my "all things in moderation" mantra. It can add so much to a recipe. Thanks for this one, Mary! I'm bookmarking it!

Jessica | Cajunlicious said...

Mary, I am so glad you enjoyed my blog and recipes! I am going to have to try this pasta, I love peas! I am following your wonderful blog!

Jenn @ Youknow...that Blog? said...

This is interesting! I'm not a fan of frozen peas, but the way you've done this I think I actually might like it... leave it to you to change my mind! Well done!

The trick though, would be getting the kids to eat it. ;)

Have a wonderful day!! (and sit up straight... haha)

Joanne said...

Do you think if I eat enough of it, the weather will get the message and spring will finally come? Well there's only one way to find out!

Kate@Diethood.com said...

That dish is beautiful! It really screams Spring ... I love the inclusion of peas in this... great idea!

Katrina (Betty Ray) said...

Can't ever get enough peas! Especially with onions and pasta. This looks delicious and springy. I bet it tastes wonderful.

teresa said...

gorgeous, i just love the color. spring dishes are just the best, i love this pasta!

Jocie's Mom said...

Two thumbs WAY up from the Peacoholic. This looks like a tasty way to bring in Spring :)

Julie said...

Delicious and beautiful pasta! I can't wait to try this but I am going to see if I can lighten it up a bit without the cream. The blogging is going straight to my hips!

Manu said...

Oh every moment is ok for pasta!! Have a nice w/end

Linda Starr said...

must be that pinch of nutmeg, lovely sublime color.

Clint said...

Wonderful! We eat lots of peas. Cindy is a pea freak, and she has converted me to a believer. This would be great.

Wendy Irene said...

I love adding peas to pasta. My kids love the combination and main courses that include veggies are a huge bonus! Have a beautiful weekend!

Miriam said...

I LOVE peas in pasta! This dish looks SO perfect! Well done :), Miriam@Meatless Meals For Meat Eaters

Cooking Creation said...

Simply delicious! I love peas. Hope you're enjoying your weekend!

scrambledhenfruit said...

Peas are up, and it won't be too much longer before they're bearing! Peas are one of my favorite spring veggies- this dish looks lovely!

Monet said...

I never liked peas growing up...but in recent years, they've become my favorite Spring vegetable. Thank you for sharing with me tonight. After such a difficult week, it has been so refreshing to return to the blogs (and bloggers) that I love. I hope you have a blessed Sunday, sweet woman!

Bizzy said...

Recently, I made a pasta with peas and we love it. Your recipe has some added ingredients and I would love to try it this way. Thanks for the inspiration.

Susi's Kochen und Backen said...

I love anything made with peas and this pasta would indeed be lovely for the warm weather we've been experiencing. The addition of pine nuts sounds wonderful in this dish! I hope you are enjoying your weekend :o)

That Girl said...

We're doing quick pasta tonight too!

tigerfish said...

Spring Pasta! yeah!

eleanor said...

Had this tonight. Super yummy! Will definitely make it again.

Anonymous said...

I read this recipe yesterday and cooked it the very same day- it was sooo delicious! Thank you for sharing! I will definitely cook it again and again and again.
Have a nice sunday,
Inga

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