Utterly overwhelming first day back at the SaltMinesLimited.

Pasta e pisilli – from Good Weekend Magazine March 21, 1998 (yes, really!). Given that it is so very old, I’ve included the recipe below.

We used the stock I made yesterday (yes! for the first time ever I made the stock!).

It definitely was worth saving the recipe for all those years – this is particularly delicious and very inexpensive! Is best served with a crusty loaf, which we forgot on this occasion.

11.01.11

Cooked by: Don

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Pasta e piselli (Jill Dupleix)

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely sliced into rings
• 4 slices proscuitto or pancetta, cut into strips
  we usually use a hunk of Don’s pancetta, diced into wee cubes
• 2 cups peas, fresh or frozen
• 1 litre chicken stock, heated
• 200g instant lasagne, or 1 cup small, dried pasta
  we always use lasagne
• handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp butter

Heat olive oil and fry onion until soft but not browned. Add pancetta and peas and toss well. Pour hot chicken stock on top and cook for 10 minutes or until peas are cooked.
Cook pasta in plenty of simmering, salted water until just tender. Drain and add pasta to the broth. Add basil, sea salt and pepper to taste and cook for 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until pasta is soft.

Serve with a fork and spoon, adding a little butter to each dish for a touch of richness. It should be almost, but not quite, soupy. Feeds four.

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