Piselli alla Romana

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy 3-quart saucepan or braiser with lid
• •Wooden spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Shell the peas

   If using fresh peas, shell them into a bowl. This takes time. Accept it. Fresh peas reward patience with flavor that frozen peas cannot match. You should have approximately three cups of shelled peas from three pounds of pods. If using frozen peas, do not thaw them. They go into the pan frozen.

2. 2

   Soften the prosciutto and onion

   In a heavy saucepan or braiser, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the prosciutto strips and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the fat becomes translucent and the meat releases its fragrance, about 3 minutes. The prosciutto should not crisp. Add the sliced onion and continue cooking until the onion is completely soft and pale gold, another 8 to 10 minutes. Do not rush this step.

   Have your butcher slice the prosciutto thick, about one-eighth inch. The thin slices meant for eating dissolve to nothing. You want small strips that hold their presence in the finished dish.
3. 3

   Add the peas and liquid

   Add the peas to the pan and stir to coat them with the butter and rendered prosciutto fat. Add the water or broth and the sugar. The sugar is not to make the peas sweet. It is to restore the natural sweetness that begins fading the moment a pea leaves the vine. Season with salt sparingly, remembering the prosciutto is already salty. Add pepper generously.

4. 4

   Braise gently

   Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Let the peas braise gently until tender, 10 to 15 minutes for fresh peas, 5 to 8 minutes for frozen. Check occasionally. The liquid should be mostly absorbed by the time the peas are done, leaving only a small amount of buttery sauce coating everything. If too much liquid remains, remove the lid and cook a minute or two longer.

   Fresh spring peas cook quickly. Begin checking at 10 minutes. They should be tender but not mushy. A pea that collapses when pressed has been overcooked.
5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the chopped parsley. Taste for salt and adjust if needed. Transfer to a warm serving bowl and bring immediately to the table. Peas wait for no one.

Chef Tips

• •Fresh peas deteriorate rapidly. Their sugars convert to starch within hours of picking. If you cannot find peas that were picked the same day, frozen petite peas are a better choice than old fresh peas. I say this reluctantly, but it is the truth.
• •Some Roman cooks add a few leaves of butter lettuce to the braise. The lettuce melts into the sauce and adds a subtle vegetal note. This is traditional in certain families. Try it if you wish.
• •Guanciale may replace prosciutto for a more pronounced pork flavor. Romans are not dogmatic about which cured pork to use. Both are correct.
• •This is a spring dish. Do not make it in January with sad frozen peas and expect transcendence. Wait for the season. Respect the ingredient.

Advance Preparation

• •Peas may be shelled several hours ahead and refrigerated, covered with a damp towel.
• •The dish is best served immediately. Reheated peas turn army-green and lose their brightness. If you must prepare ahead, undercook slightly and reheat very briefly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 125g)