Farfalle with Herbed Butter, Peas and Parmesan

With fresh peas starting to show up at the market I’d like to start using them as much as I can. Fresh peas that you shell yourself are a wonderful spring and summer treat. When I seat with a bowl of peas in the pods, shelling them for a dish I am about to make, sampling a few irresistible ones every now and then, I feel connected to past generations of women sitting on the porch and doing the same for their families. Peas are a delicacy on their own with a sprinkling of salt or with a bit of butter. they also engage well with other flavours and many other food. How about a fresh pea soup? a real treat. Or add them to rice, pasta,. salads cook them together with other vegetables. For this recipe i toss them Farfalle, a pretty bow tie or butterfly shaped pasta. It cooks a bit al dente in the middle so follow the package direction for cooking time but keep tasting to see when it’s done to your liking. I like it with herb butter and fresh peas that barely need any cooking.Tarragon is not common with peas but I like its unique flavour and it goes well with the butter in this recipe. Serve with a sprinkling of shoved parmesan and a cool glass of chardonnay.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb farfalle (bow tie shaped pasta)

6 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup mixed chopped herbs (tarragon, parsley, chervil etc.)

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups freshly shelled or frozen peas

1/2 cup grated parmesan

Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Place butter (cut into pieces) in a large skillet, add the herbs and cook until butter melted and infused with the herbs. Add peas, salt and pepper and cook a couple of minutes until peas are just tender. Turn heat off and set aside.

When the pasta water comes to a boil add a large pinch of salt and the farfalle and bring back to a boil. Let cook according to package directions but keep tasting for doneness. It may need a bit longer to get done to your liking.

Drain the pasta well in a colander and add to the skillet. Cook over medium heat tossing s to coat the pasta with the sauce. Add the cheese and toss again. Pile into a pasta plates and serve with additional grated parmesan.

Print Recipe