Try this delicious Pea and Ham Mafaldine Recipe from Adam Liaw’s new cookbook7 Days of Dinner.
There are seemingly endless pasta shapes to choose from, and even the simplest of sauces – like this pea and ham number here – can be elevated just by just choosing a slightly fancier pasta shape like mafaldine. What counts as ‘fancy‘ is entirely up to you.
½ cup (50 g) freshly grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
salt, to season
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) dried mafaldine
Method
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Meanwhile, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the oil and fry the pancetta until crisp. Remove the pancetta from the pan and add the butter, garlic and onion. Fry for about 5 minutes until the onion is fragrant and translucent.
Add the peas, spinach and parsley and fry for about 1 minute until the leaves are wilted. Add cream and bring to a simmer. Transfer the vegetables and cream to a blender and add the parmesan. Blend to a smooth purée. Taste the purée and adjust the seasoning.
Cook the pasta according to the packet directions, but start checking it 2 minutes before the end of the recommended cooking time. When the pasta is al dente, drain it well, reserving about ½ cup (125 ml/4 fl oz) of the cooking water, and return it back to the pot (or a separate frying pan, if that is easier) on low heat. Add the sauce and about half the reserved cooking water and toss to coat. If the pasta is looking too dry, add the remaining cooking water and stir to combine. Stir through the pancetta and serve with extra parmesan.
Tip Flat, wavy-edged mafaldine is named for Princess Mafalda of Savoy. It’s also known as reginette, which translates to ‘little queens‘, also in recognition of the princess.
Try this delicious Pea and Ham Mafaldine Recipe from Adam Liaw’s new cookbook 7 Days of Dinner.
There are seemingly endless pasta shapes to choose from, and even the simplest of sauces – like this pea and ham number here – can be elevated just by just choosing a slightly fancier pasta shape like mafaldine. What counts as ‘fancy‘ is entirely up to you.
Ingredients (serves 4)
Preparation 10 minutes/Cooking time 15 minutes
2 tablespoons olive oil
100 g (31/2 oz) pancetta or bacon
25 g (3/4 oz) butter
2 garlic cloves
½ brown onion
2 cups (310 g/11 oz) frozen peas
2 cups (80 g/23/4 oz) loosely packed baby spinach leaves
½ cup picked parsley leaves
150 ml (5 fl oz) pouring (whipping) cream
½ cup (50 g) freshly grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
salt, to season
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) dried mafaldine
Method
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Meanwhile, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the oil and fry the pancetta until crisp. Remove the pancetta from the pan and add the butter, garlic and onion. Fry for about 5 minutes until the onion is fragrant and translucent.
Add the peas, spinach and parsley and fry for about 1 minute until the leaves are wilted. Add cream and bring to a simmer. Transfer the vegetables and cream to a blender and add the parmesan. Blend to a smooth purée. Taste the purée and adjust the seasoning.
Cook the pasta according to the packet directions, but start checking it 2 minutes before the end of the recommended cooking time. When the pasta is al dente, drain it well, reserving about ½ cup (125 ml/4 fl oz) of the cooking water, and return it back to the pot (or a separate frying pan, if that is easier) on low heat. Add the sauce and about half the reserved cooking water and toss to coat. If the pasta is looking too dry, add the remaining cooking water and stir to combine. Stir through the pancetta and serve with extra parmesan.
Tip Flat, wavy-edged mafaldine is named for Princess Mafalda of Savoy. It’s also known as reginette, which translates to ‘little queens‘, also in recognition of the princess.
Photography © Steve Brown
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