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Peas with Bacon

I found versions of this dish on menus across America, Italian and non-Italian. I guess everybody loves its appealing flavors. It is delicious made with frozen peas, but when I was a child, my grandma made it only with the sweetest first pods of peas. I also remember that it was my job to shell them, and I ate quite a few of those raw peas. Pancetta is pork belly cured with salt, pepper, and other seasonings, then made into a roll, but not smoked like bacon. You can substitute bacon or Canadian bacon for the pancetta, and substitute fresh peas for frozen.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 pound frozen peas, thawed, or 1 pound fresh peas blanched for 5 minutes
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine the olive oil, pancetta, and onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until the pancetta fat is rendered, about 5 to 7 minutes.

    Step 2

    Pour in the peas. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion and peas are tender and flavored with the pancetta. Stir in the pine nuts. Cook and toss for a minute, then serve.

Cover of the cookbook featuring the author with a table full of fresh herbs and vegetables.
Reprinted with permission from Lidia's Italy in America by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Copyright © 2011 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.
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