Pea
Penne Carbonara with Julienne of Snow Peas
- Serves 3
Author Notes
Whenever I eat pasta with peas, I notice that they tend to fall to the bottom of the dish. I like to have the fresh flavor of the peas in each bite. Snow peas have that bright clean flavor that can be distributed within each bite when they are julienned. Just take your time in doing this, and you will not only have a tasty pasta dish, but it will look amazing as well. The snow peas give you a nice crunch with a burst of freshness, which cuts through the creaminess, the residual heat cooks them just slightly to still obtain texture. This pasta works so well with the salty crispy pancetta, and the richness of the egg yolk and creme fraiche. I think this is a lighter version of a Carbonara recipe with a twist. I don't really list the salt amounts here because the pancetta is already salty enough, use your own taste to determine if it needs more or less. —James Durazzo
Ingredients
-
2 handfuls
Snow Peas (Washed and stringed)
-
1 tablespoon
Minced Shallots
-
1/2 cup
Cubed Pancetta
-
1/3 cup
Parmigiano-Regianno Cheese (Extra for serving)
-
1/3 cup
Pecorino Romano Cheese (Extra for serving)
-
2 tablespoons
Creme Fraiche
-
2 tablespoons
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-
2
Egg Yolks
-
1 pinch
Peperoncino
-
1/2
Bag of Penne Pasta
Directions
- Boil the water for the pasta in a large pot, add plenty of salt to make it taste like the sea. Once the water comes to a boil, add the pasta.
- Combine the two cheeses together and mic well. You might not need all of it, use your own palate to determine how much you would like.
- Combine the Pancetta, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Peperoncino, render out the pancetta, and let it turn slightly golden. Then add in the minced shallots and sweat until translucent. Add a few drops of the pasta water to stop the pancetta/shallots from cooking.
- When the pasta is ready, reserve a few tablespoons of the pasta water, then add the drained pasta to the pan with the pancetta/shallot mixture. At this point turn the heat off, and add in the snow peas, and toss to combine. Next add in the egg yolks and toss to bind. Finish by adding the cheeses, and 2 tablespoons of creme fraiche. Lossen the sauce by adding some of the reserved pasta water if desired. Taste for seasoning (Salt, Black Pepper)
- Ladle into bowls, and drizzle Extra Virgin Olive oil, and sprinkle additional cheese mixture on top. (Optional to add some fresh lemon zest on top)
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