Fresh Peas and Pasta

It's snowing peas out here. Ok! ok! I know that was a very bad attempt at pun humor (no stones please... or eggs ... or tomatoes .. well if they are heirloom, pass them on carefully :D). Anyway, my point is that the grocery store shelves are bulging with fresh snow peas. They are just becoming in their green-ness that you just cannot go past without picking up a box... or perhaps two ...

I love peas.. Hubby, not so much... But, even he had a change of heart with the fresh peas. I remember my mom peeling fresh peas while watching the evening soaps (they were all tear jerkers for some odd reason!) for peas pulav. She would, much to my dislike, also use the peeled pods in the dish. Her reason being that they had way too much nutrition to waste. But, honestly, they didn't do much for taste...

Anyway if only she had given them raw to me. They taste so much better. Honestly! I lightly sauted them with salt, pepper and nutmeg and then the tiniest sprinkle of parmesan and they were divine!!!

To go with that, (let's be clear.. however awesome they may be, they don't make a meal), I made a nice bowl of spagetti with tomato-ricotta sauce and tossed with some cured meat for punch and flavor. And ofcourse, the omnipresent parmesan...

Pardon me.. i just licked the bowl.. :D


Ham and Ricotta Spagetti with a side of Snow Peas
(Serves 1)

3 oz cured ham (whichever flavor catches your fancy), chopped
3 oz ricotta
1/2 cup homemade marinara sauce
1/4 lb spagetti
3/4 cup fresh snow peas
pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
2 T fresh grated parmesan
salt and pepper to taste

Cook spagetti according to instructions to just under al dente. Meanwhile, warm up the marinara sauce. Stir in the ricotta. When the pasta is ready, add to cheese and tomato mixture. Toss and cook for a couple more minutes until pasta is cooked. Fold in the ham pieces, reserving a few for garnish. Sprinkle with parmesan.

Lightly saute snow peas in the smallest amount of butter. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Some more parmesan here and you are all set!!