Every time I eat this, and I eat it enough, I am ten years old again. It’s Friday night, I’m just getting home from Little League, it’s starting to get dark outside, and my mother is standing at the stove, a ladle in one hand, my favorite white pasta bowl in the other.
“How’d you do?” she says dusting a little parmesan on top, the way I like.
Then, a kiss on the head, touch of the cheek. All is right this night here in Brooklyn.
Think I might hang around a while longer, finish what’s left in the pot. Make yourself some pasta and peas tonight. You won’t be sorry, I promise.
Recipe
Pasta and peas (pasta e piselli)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2-4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 anchovy filets (optional)
1 small hot pepper (optional)
2 slices prosciutto (optional)
¾ cups frozen peas
½ lb. pasta of your choice
Parmesan cheese for grating
In a large pot of well-salted water, start cooking the pasta.
Saute the garlic, anchovy and pepper in the oil for a couple minutes, then add the prosciutto and sauté another minute or two.
Add the frozen peas and simmer another two or three minutes.
When the pasta is done cooking (save about a cup of the salted water), toss it in with the peas, etc. Turn up the heat and gradually add some of the pasta water until the moisture level is to your liking. Incorporate fully before plating and topping with grated cheese.
Mister Meatball 
Looks delicious and your memories are sweet.
Easy and delicious…where's your fresh pasta?:D
this is a favorite and a dish the kids learned early. Minus the anchovies – they don't do anchovies. Shhhh. This instantly comforts me. Succinct enough?
I love pasta and peas! I never used anchovy (not a big fan) but everything else and a little onion is pure comfort food!
Okay, so Ma didn't use anchovies either. Or ham for that matter. For the record, plain p&p's just swell by me!Claudia: Succinct, yes.Jeannie: You are persistent. It's on the list. Trying to figure a way that's not boring. Maybe try a video one day would be better, more useful than just pics?
Doesn't seem like much of s supper, some nearly naked noodles and frozen peas. But I guess we all have our comfort food.My mom used to give us kids mac & cheese out of a box(store brand, not that fancy Kraft). Add some peas and what do you have? Cacio e Pepe!
He's baaaaack!!!
I made a version of this last night because it jogged similar memories. It was just as good as advertised. We used to do a similar dish with potatoes rather than pasta, too. ThanksPeter
It’s a good thing my Grandmother is dead because your recent picture of Peas and Macaroni (that’s what we called it) might have killed her. My grandmother was a real stickler for serving the right pasta shape with the right sauce. With Peas it was either Small Shells or Orrechiette. Nothing bigger. Couldn’t tell what shape you used from the picture but my Nannie would not approve. I think I once served it to her with Spaghetti and she called me a Mamalook… Just saying.
Peter: Glad you liked.Anonymous: Ha! We also called it Peas and Macaroni, and always used shells too. These days I use all kinds of pasta shapes (though never spaghetti). And my brother's giving me crap about the anchovy, ham and hot pepper. Madonna! It ain't easy being a Meatball these days.
Speaking of kids memory stuff: Mine is cold winter Saturday nights. Had to walk to my father's store to bring him dinner. When I got home: Pizziola….
I love this it reminds me of my travels to Roma…Thank you