I think I may have found my new favourite end-of-a-long-day-don’t-feel-like-cooking-but-very-much-feel-like-eating comfort food sort of dinner. It’s easier to make than reheating a jar of spaghetti sauce. And probably costs in the vicinity of a buck. Which means more for the coffee fund.
And we have peas. Lots of them. Mike and W shelled them on the living room floor, with Lou catching the strays. I wanted to use them as more than green filler for our dinner plates – to show them off a little more – and I remembered a Jamie Oliver recipe for cheesy peas.
Just the sort of recipe I tend to look at, mentally nod and move on, because I know the gist of it already. Peas, butter, lemon and cheese. I could do that, easy. But do I ever? No.
It seemed like a good pairing for pasta, and I’m a fan of tossing peas into pasta water for the last cooking minutes and draining – it’s like dinner multitasking. So I morphed the two, taking his advice to scoop out some of the starchy water before draining it, then tossed the noodles (linguine, but it could be anything) with a splash of it, butter, juice of a lemon and grated Parm. Lots of pepper. Divine. I wish I had another bowl of it in bed.
Pasta with Jamie’s Cheesy Peas
Really, don’t even worry about the measurements. Make as much pasta and peas as you like, and dress them up with butter, lemon and cheese, adding enough pasta water to make a sauce.
enough pasta for 3-4
4 big handfuls of fresh or frozen peas
a knob of butter
lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
a squeeze of lemon juice
freshly ground black pepperBring a big pot of water to a boil and add the pasta; cook until al dente, adding the peas for the last 4 minutes of cooking time. Before you drain it, scoop out some of the water with a measuring cup.
Drain the pasta and peas and put it back in the pan – add a knob of butter, a squeeze of lemon and lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and enough of the pasta water to make a saucy consistency. Serves 3-4.
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I love that photo.
Definitely having that pasta for supper tomorrow. I’ll have to get new peas though. The incumbent peas are an ice bag.
i KNEW Superheros ate vegetables
Perfect quick and easy pasta dish – they’re the best kind.
Have to try this. So simple!
That picture of your boys shelling peas is awesome. Love the movement. I’m all for easy comfort dinners now that school and activities are in the picture. Suddenly I have no time for cooking, ahh!
Sounds great. Do you think this might work with something like chickpeas or edamame or a bean with higher protein content?
Sarah – I’m sure it will! Frozen edamame would work perfectly – and it has twice the protein of green peas. But since they are legumes as well, green peas do contain protein similar to the quantity in chickpeas.
Ha! I added peas to a pasta dish last week and heard “I’m not a fan of peas in pasta.” My response, “Well, I am, so eat up.” I’m glad I can now say “Julie recommends it” as a much more convincing reason.
Uh, total stand by meal! I make this quite often. Total comfort food.
oooooooouuuuuuuhhhhh! Now how can that NOT be good!
I made maple cotton candy last Sunday…omg…now I’m addicted, crap, not good when the supplier is addicted!
Making more tonight ;p
MFO
I’m pretty sure it’s against some bloggy ethic to say you made MAPLE COTTON CANDY and not give us a methos, Miss Manon!! You know, to just drop it in there apres peas.
buzz and peas. what a fine combination.
Yum.
Oh man! That looks awesome! Going to have to add that to the list!