Author Notes
I know most people think of chilly fall days when they hear pea soup. Not this version. It is decidedly a spring soup and if you can lay your hands on fresh peas in the shell all the better. Frozen peas work but it is not at all the same, in fact, if I didn't have fresh peas I would use sugar snaps or snow peas.
Note: I cook farro really simply. I put it in a pot of lightly salted water. The water covers the grains by at least three inches. I bring it to a boil, boil two minutes then turn off the heat and cover the pot. I then let the pot sit on the stove for two hours but no longer then three. I drain it and now it is al dente. A half cup of dry will make one cup or more of cooked farro. —thirschfeld
Continue After Advertisement
Ingredients
-
1/2 cup
pancetta, small dice
-
2 teaspoons
unsalted butter
-
1 cup
yellow onion, trimmed, peeled and small dice
-
4 cups
beef stock
-
1 1/2 cups
fresh peas
-
1 cup
cooked farro or brown rice, see note in headnote
-
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
-
lots of fresh ground black pepper
-
flat leaf parsley, minced
Directions
-
Add the butter and the pancetta to a pan over medium heat. Render the pancetta until it just starts to get crispy while being careful not to burn the butter. You may need to reduce the heat to do this but be patient.
-
Add the onions, season them with salt and pepper. Now continue cooking the onions, stirring occasionally, till they are soft.
-
Add the broth and farro. Turn the heat up if you need to and bring the pot to a boil. Add the peas, taste the broth and season it as necessary.
-
Add the parsley and cook the soup until the peas are just tender. Be careful not to overcook the peas.
-
Serve immediately garnishing the soup with more fresh ground black pepper.
See what other Food52ers are saying.