Venetian Pasta and Peas

First, before you ask, I have no clue why I call this Venetian Pasta and Peas. I mean, I know WHY the peas are in the title..I am just not sure where it came from. I think there was a recipe for Venetian Pasta and Peas in a cookbook I bought the year I got married but I can’t remember details.

Anyway. I have been making this for ever. And a day. It is a bog comfort food for me, and at present pasta seems to be one of the few nonliquid foods that will go down my throat.  I literally threw this together the day after I got home from my thyroidectomy.  Let me tell you, I have not cooked a whole heck of a lot since then. I need to feel better and cook soon or we will have to change the venue of the blog to Cranky Middle Aged Woman Kibbitzing.

You can use any kind of pasta you happen to have. Shells are nice because the peas get stuck in them and they hold all the sauce. Anyway, this is supposed to be a simple dish…use what you have and keep it that way.

The sauce is a quick garlic,  butter, onion, and basil mixture with peas, kidney beans (you can use cannellini), and cooked pasta tossed in and Parmigiano-Reggiano grated over top.  If you happen to have some left over chicken breast or shrimp toss it in there too. Sometimes I add pepperoni.

Repeat after me…this is simple.

Add a warm baguette, some sweet butter, sliced heirloom tomatoes, and a chunk of melon and you won’t need anything else. It is that perfect.

Venetian Pasta and Peas

serves 8

• 2 lbs of pasta, cooked and drained
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 3 cups frozen peas
• 2 cans cooked, dark red kidney beans (or your choice)
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 8 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in pan. Add garlic and onion and saute until transparent and tender.
2. Add butter and allow to melt over low heat. You don’t want the butter to brown.
3. Stir in drained beans and peas.
4. Heat through and add in pasta and basil. Toss lightly.
5. Heap in serving dish and cover with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

image:marye audet