In Florence you can find baskets of freshly shelled peas at the market, which saves a lot of time. You can also cook this recipe with good-quality frozen peas with great results.
Ingredients
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil 60 ml
- Pancetta 100 g, cut into thin strips (alternatively, use prosciutto or ham)
- Garlic 1–2 cloves, smashed
- Fresh, Shelled Peas 500 g
- Flat-Leaf Parsley 4 Tbs, finely chopped
- Sugar 1 tsp (optional)
Cook It
- In a saucepan, gently heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and cook the pancetta and garlic over a low heat for about 1 minute. Add the peas, parsley and enough cold water to just reach the level of the peas. Season with a pinch of salt and bring to a simmer. Cook until the peas are tender and the garlic is cooked. Add the sugar (if desired) just before removing from the heat.
- Serve warm or even at room temperature with the rest of the olive oil, freshly ground pepper and plenty of the broth.
Florentine: The True Cuisine of Florence by Emiko Davies (C) 2021. Recipe reproduced by permission of Hardie Grant. All rights reserved. Read our review
