Farro Pasta With Peas Pancetta And Herbs Recipes

PASTA WITH FARRO

Steps:

• Try this twist on kasha varnishkes, a classic Jewish dish made with buckwheat and bow ties: Toast 1 cup farro in a saucepan over medium-high heat with olive oil. Add 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until the water is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, cook 1 pound orecchiette as directed; drain. Brown 3 tablespoons butter; toss with the pasta and farro (or toss with walnut oil). Season with salt.

FARRO PASTA WITH PEAS, PANCETTA AND HERBS

Steps:

• Place a large pot of well-salted water over high heat and bring to a boil for the pasta.
• Place a large, wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and pancetta. Let pancetta sizzle and take color, stirring, until nicely browned, with a little give, about 5 minutes. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Start to cook the pasta, timing it to be ready just as the peas are done. Cook until pasta is quite al dente (less time than package directions indicate). Drain pasta, reserving a cup or so of pasta-cooking water.
• Leaving skillet over medium-high heat, add scallions, crushed red pepper and sage, stirring well to coat. Add 3 types of peas and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until firm-tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add drained pasta to vegetables in the pan, along with 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water and let simmer. Toss well with 2 wooden spoons, or tongs, and season pasta-vegetable mixture once more with salt and pepper. Add more pasta cooking water as necessary, until vegetables have softened a bit and pasta is just done.
• Turn off heat and stir in butter. Mix together lemon zest, parsley and mint, and sprinkle over pasta.
• Transfer pasta to a large, low bowl, sprinkle with ricotta salata and serve. (You might also divide the dish into individual servings.)

FARFALLE WITH PEAS AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• Shell fresh peas if using. Diagonally cut sugar snaps and/or snow peas into thirds. Finely chop pancetta and shallots separately.
• Fill a 6-quart pasta pot three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil for peas and pasta. Have ready a bowl of ice and cold water.
• Cook fresh or frozen peas in boiling water until tender, about 2 minutes, and with a slotted spoon transfer to ice water to stop cooking. Cook sugar snaps and/ or snow peas in boiling water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes, and with slotted spoon transfer to ice water. Reserve water in pot over low heat, covered. Drain peas in a colander and transfer to a bowl.
• In a deep 12-inch heavy skillet heat oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook pancetta in oil, stirring, until golden brown and edges are crisp, about 10 minutes. Stir in shallots and cook, stirring, until just tender, about 2 minutes.
• Return water in pot to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water, stirring occasionally, until al dente and ladle out and reserve 1 cup pasta water. Drain pasta in colander and add to pancetta mixture with peas, 1/4 cup reserved pasta water, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat mixture over low heat, gently tossing (and adding more pasta water as needed if mixture becomes dry), until just heated through.
• Serve pasta with Parmigiano-Reggiano.