Fresh Peas and Carrots Pasta Salad

We got a big bag of fresh English peas from the vegetable box and I decided to use them in a pasta salad. The shelling takes a while but let me tell you, the effort was well worth it! The peas were really flavorful and together with fresh carrots and bell peppers made for a delicious pasta salad dish.


Ingredients:

• 3 cups fresh shelled peas
• 2 cups finely chopped carrots
• 1 cup finely chopped kalamata olives
• 2 red bell peppers, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 lb penne pasta
• 1/2 bunch basil (finely chopped)
• olive oil, salt, black pepper

Bring ~1 L of water with some salt to a boil and add the fresh peas and boil for 2 min, then immediately remove from the hot water and put into a bowl with iced water to stop the cooking process. Repeat the same with the carrots and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Boil 1 lb of penne pasta for 9 - 10 min (or according to instructions) in slightly salted water. Drain the pasta but make sure to save ~ 1/4 cup of the water. Do not rinse the pasta after draining, but instead sprinkle with olive oil and mix well to prevent it from sticking together. Also add couple of table spoons of the leftover pasta water to make sure the pasta stays hydrated and does not stick.

Let the pasta cool for ~10 min and then add the peas, carrots, peppers, olives and the chopped basil. Mix well and season with salt, black pepper and some more olive oil. Lastly, add the feta cheese, mix and enjoy!

Fettuccini with Pesto, Mushrooms and Peas

I have always been a fan of tomato based pasta sauces, but this time I decided to experiment a bit and to make a pesto sauce, and it turned out pretty good. The whole dish took less than 30 min with multitasking so it is perfect for making a quick dinner.

PESTO SAUSE:
In a food processor, combine and homogenize the following:

• 1-2 cups loose basil leaves + parseley leaves
• 1/2 cup walnuts (I did not have any pine nuts but Bitman says that walnuts are OK)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• some salt

THE REST OF INGREDIENTS:
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
2 (9 oz each) packs of fresh pasta

PROCESS:
In a large pan, add some olive oil and sautee the mushrooms on high heat until most of water has evaporated. Add the peas and onion, season with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper and continue cooking until soft.

In the mean time, heat a pot of water and once boiling, add the fresh pasta. Let boil for 3-5 min or until cooked.

Once the pasta is ready, drain and mix with some of the pesto sauce and with the mushrooms.
Sprinkle some shredded pecorino romano cheese and enjoy!