PASTA AND PEAS July 2, 2003 Susan Noble Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent

Congratulate me. I'm back on the wagon -- the recipe wagon that is. My New Year's resolution was to try more new recipes. I started well, but . . . you know the rest of the story.

Recently, I visited friends who are addicted to the Food Network on television. Since I'm hooked on Home and Garden Television, this was new territory for me. Call this Inspirational Experience Number One.

Then came Inspirational Experience Number Two. While on vacation at the Outer Banks, I went shopping for kitchen equipment. I came home with a microplane -- much more useful than seashells. If you're not familiar with the microplane, it's a super dooper grater for items such as cheese and lemon rind. It looks like a long, narrow wood-working rasp from the hardware store. Some TV chiefs actually claim to buy rasps. Wherever you buy it or whatever you call it, this thing is great. It grates through hard Parmesan cheese as if it were butter.

You observant readers may be surprised that I'm using a high-fat item like Parmesan. Because Parmesan is such a strongly flavored cheese, just a little gives a lot of flavor. The same is true for blue cheeses.

Now back at home. With remote control in one hand and microplane in the other, I see an Italian cook creating pasta dishes. One of my favorite food combos is pasta and peas, so her farfalle recipe caught my attention -- Inspirational Experience Number Three. Here is my adapted version of the recipe along with an old favorite "pea and pasta" dish. Enjoy.

There's an old saying about not throwing the baby out with the bath water. This is good advice for cooking. With all this new inspiration and new equipment, don't forget the now old-fashioned nonstick skillet. It allows you to add less fat when cooking . . . without burning the food. And yes, I bought one of those too.

In food talk, farfalle means pasta shaped like small butterflies or bow ties. Do use the extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor. You can use less oil than called for by combining oil with cooking spray. I "create" my own spray by putting extra virgin oil in a food-grade mister bottle.

Cook pasta "al dente"; drain. Meanwhile, in large sauté pan over high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil (or less oil combined with cooking spray). Remove sausage meat from casings. Place sausage in pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook till golden brown, breaking up any large lumps. Remove sausage from pan and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons more oil to pan and heat. Add mushrooms to pan. If using fresh mushrooms, sauté till their natural liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. If using canned mushrooms, sauté 2 minutes. Add peas and cook for 4 minutes. Return sausage to pan and cook for another 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add drained pasta to sausage mixture in sauté pan and mix well. Drizzle in remaining olive oil. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in cheese. Serve in large bowl.

Yields 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from Television Food Network.

The original version of this recipe called for high-fat whipping cream; evaporated milk is a great substitute. While high in sodium, country ham is fairly lean . . . and you use only a little.

In large serving bowl, combine hot, cooked noodles with remaining ingredients except ham. Toss lightly to coat well. Stir in ham. Serve immediately.

Yields 4 small servings.

The use of brand names in this column does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service of the products or services named or criticism of similar ones not mentioned.

E-mail address: Susan_Noble@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 7/15/03