Pasta with Peas, Bacon, Mint, and Ricotta
It’s a sprightly mash-up of two traditional Italian pasta dishes: Paglia e Fieno and Pasta e Fagioli. Paglia e fieno, translates to “straw and hay” named for its two color fettuccine made from both egg and spinach. The yellow and green pastas are typically paired with prosciutto and peas and Parmesan. Pasta e fagioli is a brothy dish combining pasta and beans.
Here, conchigliette (small pasta shells) are paired with peas and bacon in a flavorful chicken and vermouth-based broth, brightened with fresh mint. Scoops of whole milk ricotta are stirred into the broth taking the place of the traditional rich Parmesan cream sauce. A sprightly mash-up indeed.
Pasta with Peas, Bacon, Mint, and Ricotta Recipe
Ingredients:
- 6 oz. dried pasta, small shells, cooked and drained
- 3 slices bacon, chopped
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 1/2 c. dry vermouth
- 2 1/2 c. chicken broth
- 1 1/2 c. frozen petite peas
- 2 T. fresh mint, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 4 oz. whole milk ricotta
- salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
In a large sauté pan or wok, cook bacon over medium heat until it starts to brown. Add onion and cook another 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent.
Add vermouth and cook until it has almost all evaporated. Then add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add frozen peas, lower the heat and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add pasta to heat through. Remove from heat. Stir in chopped mint. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper.
Serve topped with scoops of ricotta and mint garnish.
This recipe was inspired by Bon Appetit.
More Peas Please
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Can’t get enough of the combination of peas & pasta? Try this one inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi: Mezzi rigatoni with beautiful green peas and fresh pea sprouts, summery herbaceous basil, toasty walnuts cooked with hot chile and smoky paprika, a garlicky creamy yogurt sauce, and briny tangy feta. (recipe here)
Food Network
featuring
Peas
Sensational Sides is a season long franchise where Food Network editors team up with bloggers to share recipes about everyone’s favorite side dishes. Be sure to check out our Pinterest Board with over 290,000 followers called Let’s Pull Up A Chair!
And if my Pasta with Peas, Bacon, Mint, and Ricotta got you in the mood for more peas, you might enjoy taking a peek at other pea-centric recipes from some fabulous bloggers below…
Creative Culinary: Peas with Bacon and Crispy Leeks
Daisy at Home: No-Cook Spring Succotash
Virtually Homemade: Green Pea Hummus
Homemade Delish: Peas That Please
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Marinated Peas & Peppers Salad
Red or Green: English Pea Mash on Garlic Rubbed Bruschetta
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Cauliflower and Peas Stir-Fry
Taste with the Eyes: Pasta with Peas, Bacon, Mint, and Ricotta
The Mom 100: Spring Ramp and Pea Risotto
Dishin & Dishes: Sesame Sugar Snap Peas
FN Dish: The Freshest Ways to Pass the Peas, Please
This dish looks amazing! That creamy white ricotta is divine.
Hi Liz – thank you 🙂 your green pea hummus looks fabulous too! Yay for #SensationalSides and the Food Network pinterest board!
LL
Looks divine as always, L-L ! And I love that you just keep adding to the one pan ~ even better. Happy Sunday. x0
Hi Shell – it’s a great weeknight pasta dinner. So easy – one pan (and one too cook the noodles). We’ve made it several times with different shaped pastas…
Happy Sunday to you too.
LL
what can be used as a substitute for the vermouth?
Hi – You can use the same amount of dry white wine.
If you do not want to use any alcohol, try a google search…you can try a combination of apple juice and vinegar. Sorry but I haven’t tried it. Good luck.
LL