How can something so simple be so good?

This dish, like pasta with chickpeas, is simplicity and goodness. Look at that recipe for a little more detail on the steps.  Here, briefly: 

– Onion saute

– Add legumes (I use a bag of frozen peas–from Kroger!)

– Roll the onion and peas together for 5 minutes or so, then add enough water to cover the contents of the pan and cook the combo down. I always add a little oil.

– You want this mix to be brothy. You will need some liquid for a sauce. Puree half of the pea-onion mix (in the pan) with hand-held mixer.

– Mix with your starch. In this case, you see brown rice.

A flurry of Parmigiano-Reggiano provides a nice finish on this dish. Here’s a dish of maltalgiati with peas:

For years now, whenever my wife and I get to Florence, we try to eat at the Buca del’Orafo, right at the edge of the Ponte Vecchio.

In the spring , when peas are in season, we usually order tagliolini con piselli. (Tagliolini are sort of like tagliatelle, only thinner.) The sauce is made with fresh peas. I tried a few times to recreate their sauce and failed miserably. Then one year we bought a Buca book, and, to be honest, I didn’t really like the look of the recipe. (Sugar? Really?)

This recipe gets close in taste to the Buca piselli. I’m sure I flub left and right, and a Florentine would tell me to go jump in the Arno. Okay. But first, I eat.