Pasta e Piselli: A Simple Italian Pasta with Peas

· 4 min read
Italian cuisine pasta recipes

Pasta e piselli is one of those classic Italian dishes that nobody seems to know about, which is a shame because it might be the most weeknight-friendly pasta you can make. It’s pantry food in the best sense: peas, onion, a bit of pancetta, and whatever short pasta you have lying around. The Neapolitan version cooks the pasta directly in the broth with the peas, so you end up with something between a pasta and a soup, thick and starchy and deeply savory.

This is a “cucina povera” dish, the kind of thing that came out of needing to make a satisfying meal from cheap ingredients. Frozen peas work just fine here, which is part of why I keep coming back to this recipe. When fresh peas are in season it’s a special thing, but I’d rather have the frozen-pea version any day than skip it for nine months of the year.

Pasta e Piselli

Servings: 4Prep: 10 minCook: 25 min

Ingredients

  • 1 cup mixed short pasta (ditalini is traditional, but tubetti, small shells, or any small pasta works, even broken-up spaghetti)
  • 2 cups peas (frozen is fine, fresh if you have them)
  • 4 oz pancetta, diced (guanciale or bacon work too)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth (plus more as needed)
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Method

  1. Render the pancetta: In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until it starts to crisp and render its fat, about 5 minutes.

  2. Soften the onion: Add the diced onion to the pot and cook until soft and translucent, about 6-8 minutes. You want it sweet and almost melted, not browned. Add a pinch of salt to help it along.

  3. Add the peas: Stir in the peas and cook for 2-3 minutes, letting them soak up the flavors. If using fresh peas, give them a couple extra minutes.

  4. Add broth and pasta: Pour in the broth and bring to a simmer. Add the pasta directly to the pot and stir well to keep it from sticking to the bottom. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente, about 8-12 minutes depending on the shape. The liquid should reduce and become starchy and creamy. Add more broth or hot water if it gets too thick before the pasta is done.

  5. Finish: Once the pasta is cooked, remove from heat and stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Taste and adjust with salt and plenty of black pepper. The texture should be loose and brothy, almost like a thick risotto.

  6. Serve: Ladle into warm bowls and top with more Parmigiano, a drizzle of olive oil, and fresh parsley. Red pepper flakes if you want a little kick.

Recipe Notes

The traditional Neapolitan way is to use a mix of pasta shapes, the kind of thing that came from emptying out the bottoms of various pasta boxes at the end of the week. If you do this, just keep in mind that different shapes cook at different rates, so add the longer-cooking ones first and the smaller ones a few minutes later.

Some versions skip the pancetta entirely and rely on a Parmesan rind simmered in the broth for depth. If you have a rind in the freezer, throw it in with the broth either way. It adds a savory backbone that’s hard to replicate.

The dish should be neither soupy nor dry. You want it to flow slowly when you tip the bowl, with the pasta and peas suspended in a starchy, glossy broth. If it sets up too thick after sitting for a minute, just stir in a splash of hot water to loosen it.