Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Summer Cooking: Sugar Snap Peas & Shell Pasta
Ingredients for 2:
1/2 lb. fresh sugar snap peas
1 1/2 cup shell pasta
hard salty cheese: parmesan, asiago, or romano
white wine vinegar
extra-virgin olive oil
fresh parsley (good handful), fresh thyme (several sprigs), garlic (2 cloves)

De-string the sugar snap peas; wash & dry.

Chop parsley & mince garlic — make about half a cup. Add thyme. Add vinegar & olive oil, stir well. It should be less like a vinaigrette than a small portion of parsley salad. Do not add to peas.

Cook shells in salt water — but absolutely do not overcook or you will get a gelatinous mess. Drain & wash with cold water. Drain again thoroughly.

Toss together the shells & peas. Add parsley mixture. Shave a bit of cheese over top. Toss well & serve. The saltiness of the cheese balances the sweetness of the peas and the acidity of the vinegar, & the parsley makes it a rather refreshing & light meal for hot days.