Turn peas into a flavorful side dish with 2 Italian ingredients
It's amazing what you can do with a simple pea.
Peas are among the sweetest ingredients in the garden. The fresh touch of basil and the sharp garlic present in most pesto preparations offer a pleasant contrast to the natural sugars that might be cloying in other recipes. Pine nuts, typical of pesto, also add a nice texture to a vegetable that some find too mushy. A little extra Parmesan, in addition to what the pesto already contains, makes it even more exquisite. Just be sure to choose the right peas and cook them carefully.
Tips for preparing peas with pesto and parmesan
While canned peas in your pantry have their uses, for example, in creamed peas, a classic Southern side dish, the canned texture is too creamy for this pesto and Parmesan recipe. You need the firmer consistency that fresh or frozen peas offer. Even some celebrity chefs, like Bobby Flay, prefer frozen peas to fresh, so take advantage of any bags you have stored away that are freezing.
In any case, cook them just enough to avoid overcooking them. Think of them as warming through rather than boiling or sautéing. Cook fresh or thawed peas in a pan with a drizzle of oil or butter over low heat for a few minutes, until they reach a pleasant temperature when tasted. Then, add about a tablespoon of pesto for every cup of peas and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese to taste just before removing from the heat for a richer and more delicious version of this ingredient.
