Pastaepiselli Recipes

PASTA E PISELLI

Steps:

• Cook pasta as label directs in boiling salted water; drain.
• Meanwhile, in a 4-quart saucepan or saucepot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic; cook until golden, about 5 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from heat. Then, carefully add chicken broth, tomatoes with their juice, basil, and 1/2 cup water. Return heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutes; discard garlic.
• Add peas and pasta; heat through. Serve soup with grated Parmesan cheese.

PASTA PISELLI

Steps:

• Fill a large stockpot with cold water and place over high heat.
• Pour olive oil in a large saucepan and turn the flame on low. Mince the garlic and add to olive oil, let cook until just starting to brown. Slice the onion and add to the garlic and olive oil. Add 3 anchovies to the pan and mash them until they disintegrate.
• Next, add the vegetable broth and white wine. Turn the flame up to medium-low, and allow the broth and wine mixture to reduce for a couple minutes.
• Take the head of cauliflower and peel away the green leaves. Cut off the stalks and discard. Chop the cauliflower crowns into bite-sized pieces, set aside. Add the chopped cauliflower to the onion/garlic mixture, and season with red pepper flakes, to taste. Reduce the heat back to medium, and let the cauliflower cook, stirring frequently.
• Snap the asparagus in half and cut into bite size pieces on the diagonal. Add the asparagus and the peas and cook for about 5 minutes. When the asparagus is almost tender, add the tomatoes. The tomatoes should stay chunky, so do not cook too long, or stir the sauce too much because the tomatoes tend to fall apart. Add toasted almonds and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove from heat.
• When the pasta water comes to a rolling boil, add some salt and then the pasta. Keep the heat on high. Cook pasta until firm to the bite, al dente. Drain and transfer pasta to a warm bowl. Sprinkle with olive oil, and gently toss. Then add the sauce and gently toss again.
• Garnish with Parmesan or Romano and serve.

PASTA E PISELLI (PASTA AND PEAS)

Steps:

• 1. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente.
• 2. In a medium size sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and add the chopped onion. Cook for approximately 5 minutes until translucent and then add the minced garlic. Cook for about another minute or two.
• 3. Add the can of peas with liquid to the onion garlic mixture and cook for another 5 minutes or so.
• 4. Strain the pasta leaving a small amount of the pasta water (maybe 1/2 cup) in the pot with the pasta. Transfer the pasta to a serving platter.
• 5. In a medium size bowl, beat the egg and add 1/4 cup of grated cheese, salt pepper and parsely to taste. Add to the pasta and mix well so that the egg coats the pasta. (Note: You don't want scrambled eggs, the egg will cook enough just from the heat of the pasta.)
• 6. Add the peas to the pasta and mix well.
• 7. Top with the other 1/4 cup of grated cheese. Of course you can always use more or less depending on your taste.
• 8. Serve with Italian Bread (I like Semolina) and side salad.