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Piselli alla romana
Peas with prosciutto
Piselli alla romana: Rome's spring peas stewed with onion and prosciutto
In April, Roman markets like Campo de' Fiori are piled with sweet young peas from the fields around the city, and piselli alla romana is how they are cooked at home: stewed quickly with soft onion and little cubes of prosciutto (cured pork ham), with a splash of water. It is served as a side with lamb at Easter, or on toast. Frozen petits pois work well the rest of the year. Chef's tip: add the prosciutto at the end; cooked too long, it turns hard and salty.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onionfinely chopped
- 2 ⅞ oz prosciutto crudocut into small cubes or strips
- ½ cup water
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley (optional)chopped
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a wide pan over a low heat and cook 1 small onion for 6–7 minutes, until soft and sweet but not brown.
7 minStep 2: Add 1 ⅛ lb shelled fresh peas or frozen petits pois and ½ cup water, cover and simmer for 5–8 minutes for fresh peas (3–4 for frozen), until tender and sweet.
8 minStep 3: Stir in 2 ⅞ oz prosciutto crudo and cook for 1–2 minutes, until it is just warmed. Common mistake: frying the prosciutto first; it goes tough.
2 minStep 4: Taste before adding ¼ tsp salt, as the ham is salty. Season with ½ tsp black pepper, scatter with 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, if using, and serve.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 160 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does piselli alla romana take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of small onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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