Pasta with Sugar Snap Peas, Tomato and Ricotta Salata
Italian pasta dish combining blanched sugar snap peas with a light tomato sauce flavored with shallot and olive oil. Tossed with mezze rigatoni or maltagliati and finished with shavings of aged ricotta salata or pecorino cheese. Quick, vegetarian, and seasonal.
Ingredients
- 11 oz mezze rigatoni or maltagliati
- 2 cups sugar snap peas
- 11 oz canned crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
- 1 shallot
- 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- aged ricotta salata or pecorino, shavedpecorino romano1:1dairydairy-free
sharper flavor
- salt
Instructions
- 1
Bring abundant salted water to boil in a large pot.
- 2
Clean sugar snap peas by removing the stem ends and the string running along the pod length. Wash them, cut into diamonds, and blanch for 5 minutes.
- 3
Drain the peas, reserving all the cooking water. Set peas aside.
- 4
Clean and finely chop the shallot. Soften it in a pan with olive oil until golden.
- 5
Add crushed tomatoes or tomato puree, season with salt, and simmer over medium-low heat until slightly reduced.
- 6
Add the blanched peas to the sauce, incorporating a splash of the pea cooking water if needed.
- 7
Cook the pasta in the same pea cooking water. Drain al dente and toss in the pan with the sauce.
- 8
Serve hot, topped with shavings of pecorino or ricotta salata.
Tips
Reserve all pea cooking water; it seasons the pasta better than plain water.
Cut peas into uniform diamonds for even cooking and presentation.
Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce pan for better flavor absorption.
Good to Know
Leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water.
Blanch and cut peas up to 8 hours ahead; store in the refrigerator. Prepare the tomato sauce and store separately.
Hot, directly from the pan while the pasta is still steaming.
Common Mistakes
Do not overcook the peas during blanching to avoid mushiness in the final dish.
Do not skip reserving the pea cooking water to avoid thin, unseasoned pasta.
Do not oversimplify the sauce by skipping the shallot sauté to avoid flat flavor.