This pasta and green peas dish features a rich, creamy Parmesan sauce that makes it both hearty and satisfying. In Italian, it’s known as Pasta e Piselli, with “Piselli” meaning sweet green peas. This recipe is a delightful option any time of year, as it uses frozen peas, making the ingredients easily accessible year-round.
Linguine for Pasta and Peas
This recipe uses linguine, but you can substitute fettuccine, pappardelle, or tagliatelle. Generally, wide, flat noodles are best for creamy sauces, as they let you scoop up more sauce.
Prosciutto with Pasta and Green Peas
Can I Substitute Bacon for Prosciutto?
Yes, you can substitute bacon if you prefer it over the prosciutto. Cook 4 or 5 slices of bacon (or more if you love bacon), roughly chop it, and sprinkle it over the finished dish.
Do You Cook the Prosciutto?
No, you do not have to cook prosciutto. It has been prepared by a curing process and is safe to eat. But if you prefer to cook it, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and cook it for about 10 minutes or until crispy. Separate the slices and cook them on parchment paper or a silicone mat. Keep an eye on them because they can quickly burn since they are thinly sliced!
Cut the Prosciutto into Strips
The easiest way to cut prosciutto into strips is to roll up a thin piece. Then cut it into 1/2 to 1-inch slices. If there is a lot of visible fat on the edges, trim it off after rolling it up by cutting off the edges.
Green Peas for Pasta and Green Peas
I have had the best results using frozen green peas for this recipe, but you can also use fresh peas. I don’t recommend canned green peas for this dish because they often lack the sweet flavor of fresh or frozen peas.
Use a Non-Stick Pan
It is best to cook this recipe in a non-stick or seasoned pan. It helps keep the Parmesan cheese from sticking to the pan as it melts.
Don’t Overcook the Cheese in Pasta and Green Peas
Grated Parmesan cheese will melt quickly in the hot cream. Remove the pan from the heat while stirring in the cheese. This will help keep it from curdling and forming lumps.
Save the Pasta Water
If you want extra sauce, you can always add more cream to the pan after adding the noodles. However, there is another way: add pasta water to the sauce.
If you don’t want the extra calories from cream, pasta water works great and adds flavor to the dish. The starch helps thicken the sauce and bind it to the pasta.
Garnish the Pasta and Green Peas
Leave the prosciutto slices in the rolls to garnish this dish. Also, use grated, shredded, or shaved Parmesan cheese to garnish. Enjoy!
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Pasta and Green Peas
Ingredients
- 8 ounces linguine
- 2 cups frozen green peas
- 3 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup dry sherry
- 1 ½ cups whipping cream
- 1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the linguine according to the package directions.
- Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Add the peas and cook for 5 minutes. Drain. Then place the peas in cold water to stop them from cooking further. Drain.
- Cut the prosciutto into strips by rolling up slices into tubes and then cutting them.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet and cook the garlic until fragrant and tender. Stir in the sherry and cook until reduced in half (about 5 minutes).
- Reduce the heat to low and add the cream. Stir. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the cheese and stir until smooth. Add the linguine, peas, pepper, and prosciutto. Stir. Serve immediately.
- To reheat leftovers, add cream to hydrate if needed.