Thursday 27 October 2011

Love and Peas ( Peas cooked with pancetta and onions-also good with pasta!)







She followed her mother as they crossed the railway line. She had to run fast as she only had little legs. Aged five, her mother called her "La mia coda" "My tail" as the little girl followed her everywhere. It must have been a Spring day, because, as they left the city behind, she could smell wild garlic and she could see  little blue irises  growing in a little shady corner, on their right. She knew it was Spring, as you could always smell Spring in the air, and her mother smiled a lot!
Eventually they came to a long path, fields on either side, such a contrast from the big city so near, yet so far, already adorned with the gifts of Spring.
An old lady (she thought she must be old!) called Caterina, lived in a white farmhouse. Mamma went inside. She brought bred for Caterina's hens. The rooms inside the farmhouse must have been huge and the ceilings high, as the voices she could hear sounded very loud and far. The little girl sat outside on a step, watching the hens running around, the listening to the chicks and the kittens as they sang a Spring song.  Above her a roof kept the already hot sun, at bay. Sat on a step, she closed her eyes and suddenly felt very happy. It was that special, really deep kind of happiness... yes, the kind of happiness which doesn't last very long, but sinks deep, deep, very deep inside your and stays there, so when you grow up you understand what happiness is.
Her mother would come out with Caterina and, after a long chat, the two women would kiss, the little girl would get a smile and a little box of warm eggs, and the three of them would start making their way towards the path, which led back to the big city, so near and yet so far.
Fields on either side were rich with crops: tiny little baby artichokes, just a tiny bit bigger than her mum's thumb were being picked. She looked at Caterina, hoping she would understand... and she always did! " Go on, take some artichokes and some peas!" So... there she was, tiny little city girl, loose in a field encrusted with wonderful green gems. Was she really allowed to take some home? The plants were huge! Then the ritual began: one by one, they picked baby artichokes, and then lovely, sweet, tender little pea pods, a gift of the land and the sun.
Once home, the peas would be shelled. Tiny little five year old handfuls of green balls would be avidly eaten. Most, would end up in mamma's pot, though,  to be turned into treasure.
I can still feel that special, really deep kind of happiness inside me, when I remember doing all the things I did with my beautiful mother. Food is special, as it tells stories, it connects you to the past, it reminds you of happy times. It reminds ME of happy times in the sun!
Now I want to share some of that happiness, by cooking my mum's Easter Monday pasta. It's a simple dish, but to me it means a lot more than that.
Here is my recipe:


Piselli con pancetta e cipolla
 (Easter Monday Pasta)
(Peas with Onion and Pancetta)
Side dish or pasta sauce
Serves 4
Ingredients:
400g ( just under 1lb) peas, fresh or frozen
6tbs olive oil
1 medium onion
100 g pancetta
some flat leaved parsley
1 beaten egg (optional)
salt
black pepper
(lots of!)
This dish is really, really easy. Put some oil in a pan ( you can use more than the suggested amount, if you prefer) and heat it. When you can see there is smoke coming out of it, add your onion which you would have previously chopped. Stir until the onion is slightly brown, then add your pancetta. Again, stir to blend the lovely flavours, then, a couple of minutes later, add all your peas (frozen peas are very good, too!)


Pancetta and onions cooking in the hot olive oil


Stir again, until the peas are coated in hot oil, leave for a couple of minutes or so, then add enough water to cover the peas a bit more. Bring to the boil , then lower the heat and cook until the peas are tender. I like to add half a stock cube, as it deepens the flavour.
You will know your peas are ready when they are firm, but soft. Make sure the liquid doesn't dry out, though. A little sprinkling of roughly chopped fresh parsley makes the dish really interesting and a generous sprinkling of black pepper adds that exotic note and aroma I really love.
If you would like to add a beaten egg to your peas, you can do so, now. But make sure you stir until the egg kind of scrambles. You don't have to have egg, if you don't want to. It's optional. I love it!


The finished dish can be served as a side


This dish can be served as a side dish or, as a kind of a sauce, if you add some chopped first, then cooked, and drained spaghetti and more black pepper to the peas. You can add some of the pasta water if you want the dish less dry.


 
Pasta with peas (no egg added)


We have this dish all year round, as "Pasta e Piselli" but on Easter Monday it is traditional in my part of Italy to have this as a first course, followed by lamb with peas and artichokes and more delicious Spring time goodies!


 
Pasta e Piselli
1) No egg 2) With egg
Both versions DELICIOUS!

27 comments:

  1. I also love pasta e piselli, I like "tubettini" a little short pasta with hole. Anna...Sure you are a great cook. Compliments e saluti da patty from Italy. Scusa per il mio inglese.

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  2. Yes, it's really good with tubettini, Patty, but I can't get tubettini here! Che sfiga, Patty, ma ci dobbiamo accontentare! Niente tubettini e niente bucatini!

    Bel commento in "Inglesiano" Visto che hai inventato una lingua?

    CIAO

    ANNA

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  3. Oh Anna what a delightful memory of your childhood and your loving mother.
    A great recipe too. When I saw the De Cecco pasta, it reminded me of our friend Alessndro di Cecco. He is descended from the Di Cecco family - as a little trivia, the actual spelling of the family name is Di Cecco - there was a printing error when they first started the business and the printer spelled it De Cello - to reprint the packaging would have taken excessive time, so they accepted the misprtint...the business was so successful that when it came time to reprint they choose to leave the DeCecco label.

    Hugs
    Helenxx

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  4. Yes, Helen, it is quite possible that the De Cecco family name once was Di Cecco, rather than "De Cecco" as both names mean the same: Son of (In fact De Cecco means: "Son of Francesco") The prefix De or Di, in Italian can be translated as the prefix Fitz, or Mc or Mac, or the German Von.

    De Cecco have been producing pasta for over a century. I love their pasta, but when you are in Italy, there are just so many brands and shapes, you wouldn't believe! I like to buy pasta from Southern Italy, as it is the best, and also I like to promote Southern Italy (we do make the best of everything!And we are nice!) in every way I can.

    When in Italy, my husband and I only buy Italian wines from Rome or Puglia. In Modugno, where my sisters live, we go to this place, some evenings where you buy meat to be barbequed, come back twenty minutes later, and take the cooked meat home. If you don't know where these places are, you just have to follow the smell. The queues are incredible. Lots of young people on motorbikes and scooters come with their friends to buy a panino ( only a Euro and half! So good and so cheap!) YUM! While we are waiting for our "arrosto" we go to this cantina place, where they only sell local wines (the best!) There's a nice girl, there, who lets you sample, before you buy. She is a bit flirty, too, and we have a joke with her. Last time we went, her lovely husband was there and their little 5 year old twin girls were at the till! So funny! Anyway... the wine is "on tap" and comes directly from the cellar. It's so good! You can buy best Primitivo for a couple of Euro per litre. So, we buy the wine, return to the butchers and take the delicious meat home (they even do wild boar sausages and mini braciole!) and make a big salad to go with it! What a fantastic lifestyle, Helen!

    CIAO

    ANNA
    xxx

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  5. Hello Anna, All my favourite flavours are in your dish today! I make something similar but will now try your recipe. I love your description of the happiness you felt and it reminded me of a summer's day at home when I was a youn child. I remember lying on the warm grass in our garden beside my mother, who was relaxed and smiling up at the sun in her deck chair. The pine tree above was 'popping' as the seeds opened and a wonderful, warm. piney smell filled the air. I felt so warm and happy and you are right, that sort of happiness seeps down inside you and stays there, safely, for ever. Have a happy weekend, Jane xx

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  6. Jane,

    It makes me happy to realize that this is not just a food blog! I am so glad you shared your memories and the love you felt on a Summer's day, when you were little. Thank you very much, Jane!

    You have a lovely weekend, too! I have had a busy week, and I know the weekend will be even busier! Never mind!

    Ciao

    ANNA

    xx

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  7. Anna cara! THANK YOU for your comment on my posts! I like you being nosey because so am I! Hehehe... I looked at my lanterns pictures more closely and yes you are right one can see the houses of our neighborhood! Well done! You seem to be a female Sherlock Holmes! ;o) I love decorating for Christmas as well! In my head I know already what everything will look like. Here in Berne winter seems to be far away. Today the atmosphere reminded me more of spring... Talking about spring! We had your pancetta, piselli and spaghetti (actually we used linguine) dish! My family LOVED it and so did I! Thank you for the idea! I am already looking forward to the next! Start well into the new week! Baci Christa

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  8. Ciao Christa! Well... I am pleased to hear that you cooked my pasta e piselli dish. It's quite delicious, really, easy and such an old fashioned dish, too!

    I have to confess... yes, I am a bit of a detective ( no, I don't look like Monsieur Poirot!) My husband calls me a detective, too, and I sometimes wish I weren't one, as investigating is very tiring.

    It's still quite warm here, too, but I noticed how the leaves on my big cherry tree have turned yellow. They are so bright!

    Yesterday I had to pick up a massive electric saw and prune a big thorny bush below one of the kitchen windows! Wow! I felt like Bonnie (from Bonnie and Clyde.) The bush had really grown too much and I needed to cut it, ready for my little fairy lights!

    Anyway... buona notte, Christa. Give my love to Berne, and thank you for opening a window onto Switzerland, for me. I think I would love the place! It reminds me of Germany, which I love!

    Ciao

    BACIONI

    ANNA

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  9. Felice Halloween :)
    Gio'
    http://remenberphoto.blogspot.com/

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  10. Chi l'avrebbe mai detto? Halloween anche in Italia! E pensare che avevo paura della befana!
    "Dolcetto o scherzetto?"

    CIAO

    ANNA

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  11. Oh dear Anna, it is not a good idea to visit you when I haven't eaten. You were making my mouth water when you talked about picking the artichokes and peas, and then the picture of them cooking mmm!
    Love the childhood memories, so special. I love the way you Italians are so passionate about your food, it is really inspiring. I loved all the banter and story telling between you and Helen too, such fun!

    Thankyou for your kind comments. Glad you like Lamb shanks. Funny enough I thought about you when we were eating, as I was playing a cd, which I love called 'Italy After Dark', it's kind of old fashioned, all Italian artists, singing the old songs like 'Volare' and 'Reginella Campagnola', it makes me happy!
    Have a lovely evening and a great week, much love Linda x

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  12. Hi Linda! The Italian songs you mentioned were songs my mum used to sing, at home. I still remember them.Domenico Modugno (from Bari, like me) who wrote and sang the original VOLARE, was my mum's favourite. I remember one Summer I bought her a doble CD of songs written and sang by him and, to surprise her, I played the music while we were having dinner. To my surprise, rather than smile, she began to cry. Her eyes (my mum had silver, greeny eyes) quickly filled with tears and she began to sob. I knew she was thinking about my dad, and missing him. I quicly took the CD out of the machine and said:"That's it! I'm taking this! It was meant to be a surprise, but if it makes you cry, then it goes." By then I was crying, as well. Then we laughed...

    Linda, I can tell you... being Italian "ain't easy!" we are so full of passion, we are like kettles... can you hear? I'm bubbling up! Life is beautiful and it should be lived with passion (when possible...)

    I'm glad you like old Italian songs... they are charming, aren't they?

    Always love your comments, Linda!

    Do you watch Coronation Street? On in 20 minutes!

    BUONA SERA

    ANNA
    x

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  13. Anna - I love to read your comments! Yes, I think you would like Berne! It is a nice but rather small and quiet city. Who knows one day... Enjoy this first November day! Christa

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  14. I'm hungry now!!! I'm sure that would taste so delicious! Thanks for telling us that wonderful story about your mother. And thanks for your sweet birthday wish. I had a great time. I will post about it :) Have a lovely new week!

    Kristin xo

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  15. Hello Kristin! Yes... this dish is so simple and yet so delicious! You should make it!

    Welcome back! I'm glad you enjoyed London, as it prepares for Christmas! What a fantastic city! Can't wait to see your pics!

    Good to hear from you...

    ANNA
    x

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  16. Hi Anna, I forget to come back and read your comments, but I was reminded when I saw you over at Lindylou Macs! Oh that's a sad story about your mum crying. Music is so emotive, my Dad loved Nat King Cole, and I often cry when I listen to him, thinking of my Dad.I used to watch Corry but haven't for a long time now.

    I am sure sometime's you wish you were not so passionate, but I think it's much better to live your life like that than without emotion or fire. I always follow my heart, rather than my head, thankfully my husband, also a passionate man, uses his head too! Much love to you Anna, Linda x

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  17. Hi Anna I am catching up with my blogging friends and you welcomed me home with your memories and evocative recipes, thankyou. xx

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  18. Linda,

    I was kind of joking about being passionate. My problem is that my husband is even more passionate and instinctive than I! What a pair we are! I could tell a few funny stories! He's a unique work of art!

    Thanks for replying, though you didn't really have to. But I'm glad you did!

    PS: YOU'RE NICE!

    CIAO!

    ANNA
    x

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  19. Hi Lindy! Welcome back! You must have had a fantastic time! I missed your posts, so carry on telling us about beautiful Italy!

    It's lovely and warm here, Lindy. We had Halloween, as you know, and on Friday it's BONFIRE NIGHT! "Remember, remember, the 5th of November!" to be celebrated with bonfires, fireworks, soup and hot dogs! I'm actually doing a Spanish meal with Paella, Padron peppers and tapas! Yum!

    Bentornata a casa!

    ANNA

    x

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  20. Anna cara! You have won the lantern! I am so pleased to send it to you but sorry I can't find your email address on your blog... where is it?
    You are right about the Corbusier chair and Mondrian. I think they got married to each other with this chair! Food for thought is always a gift! Thanks for sharing your ideas with me!

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  21. Ciao, Christa!

    My email address is on my profile, below my picture, where it says Email. Click on that and you will be able to contact me immediately. If you can't find it, I will let you have it, somehow!

    That little lantern will fly all the way from Switzerland, to me. It's a nice thought!

    Thank you, Christa! You are very kind...

    BUONA NOTTE

    ANNA
    x

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  22. It is YOU who is really, really nice! Thanks for your comment! I'll inform Beatrice and Iris! Buona Domenica anche a te! Christa

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  23. Thank you, Christa! I am not always very nice, but I try... That shop is really, really delightful!

    PS: Ma tu parli l'italiano?

    ANNA

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  24. Ti auguro una serena domenica con un sorriso
    Gio'
    http://remenberphoto.blogspot.com/

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  25. Dual, non so tu come la pensi, ma io, oggi MI SENTO FELICE COME UNA PASQUA! E` rinata la speranza... ALLELUJA!

    CIAO

    ANNA

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  26. Hello Anna, thankyou so very much for your lovely remarks.You of all people will know what it is to lose someone, a mother, who has a big influence on your life.It will be strange for you, this Christmas, but you have your family (and your passionate man!)
    I hope you have a very happy week, love Linda x

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  27. Linda... thank you! I was just telling my sister how hard it is even believing she's gone! Christmas without her is weird (I have had many, as she was in Italy) and we all miss our dad, too. They have both gone, but the love they had between the two of them, and the love they had for us is still so tangible, I just find it hard to believe their physical beings no longer exist!

    Thank you, Linda!

    Take care...

    ANNA
    xx

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