I Hate Peas

I hate peas.  I always have.  Mostly because my mom hates peas.  That means we never ate them and I have never ordered a meal that contains peas, if I can help it.  Sure, I'll add them to recipes when they're called for, but usually a little less than requested.

I love to cook and watch every season of Top Chef.  This year there was a big surge in 'english pea puree' used as sides or as a brightly colored accent for something to sit upon.  This gave me the want to make pureed peas for Charlotte to try.  And yes, I admit, I licked the spoon.  And yes, I admit, I licked the spoon again.

So when I came across a pasta recipe with bacon (winner!) and peas (loser!), I figured I'd give it a shot.  Blake liked it so much he ate all the peas and bacon and left the noodles!  Now that is a first. I even made my mom try the leftovers for lunch the next day.  On her birthday. Some would say that is beyond cruel thing to do to a pea hater.  Well, she ate it.  And said she actually liked it!

People, we must have an amazing recipe on our hands.  Well, lets not kid ourselves, it does have a good amount of bacon (and I always add lots more than called for!), cream, and some grated  parm on top.  I can say I did enjoy this dish and plan to make it again.  Go ahead, give it a try!

Fresh Angel-Hair Pasta with Bacon and Peas, courtesy of Martha Stewart

Serves 4 to 6

Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 slices bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
2 shallots, halved and thinly sliced
1 box (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed
1 cup half-and-half
18 ounces fresh angel-hair pasta

Set a large pot of salted water to boil. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain (leave fat in skillet).

Add shallots to skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add peas and half-and-half; season with salt and pepper. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.

Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. Pour sauce over pasta; toss to combine, adding some reserved pasta water a little at a time to coat. Sprinkle with bacon, and serve immediately.  Click here for online recipe.

This would also make for a nice side dish with grilled salmon!