Paglia e Fieno (Straw and Hay Pasta)

Try to say Paglia e Fieno 5 times fast! It’s quite the tongue twister. I can’t think of a more festive, cheery, springtime Italian pasta than Paglia e Fieno!

The classic Italian version calls for a blend of regular “yellow” tagliatelle and spinach “green” tagliatelle, tossed with diced prosciutto, peas, onion, and a velvety parmesan-cream sauce.

I can’t help myself but to kick things up a notch but adding in leeks – which will add a buttery and sweet dimension, and to substitute diced prosciutto for pancetta – which adds a meatier, more porky flavor, and to garnish with parmesan crisps – for a crunch that can’t be beaten!

My STEP-BY-STEP VIDEO below will help guide you through the recipe. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for recipe videos every week!

 

 

 

Makes: 4 medium dinner portions

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

The Ingredients

½ pound regular tagliatelle (or sub fettucine)

½ pound spinach tagliatelle (or sub fettucine)

8 ounces cubed/diced pancetta (or sub prosciutto for a more traditional version!)

1 cup frozen peas

½ yellow onion, chopped

1 large leek, light green part only chopped

¾ cup heavy cream

6 tablespoons butter

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more to garnish (or sub regular parmesan cheese)

Parmesan crisps, to garnish

Black pepper

 

 

 

The Steps

For parmesan-cream sauce: In a small pot over medium heat, add butter and let melt. Add cream and 1 cup parmigiano cheese. Add cracked black pepper to taste. Once cheese has melted, turn heat to low, cover and set aside.

NOTE: I do not add salt to this dish since the cheese and pancetta are very salty!

For pancetta and pea mixture: Over medium-high heat, sauté diced pancetta or prosciutto in a large dry pot or pan until just cooked. Drain off extra fat. Keeping heat on medium-high, add in 2 tablespoons butter, onion, leeks, and frozen peas to pancetta. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until leeks turn bright green and onions soften. Turn heat off.

To assemble: Boil pasta to al dente. Drain. Over low heat, add pasta to pancetta mixture. Add in parmesan-cream sauce. Toss until just combined.

Serve immediately, garnishing with grated parmigiano, parm crisps, and cracked black pepper.

 

 

 

The Steps With Video

My STEP-BY-STEP VIDEO below will help guide you through the recipe. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for recipe videos every week!

 

 

 

About Grace Vallo

Hi, I’m Grace Vallo! Welcome to my kitchen! Here you’ll find kitchen-tested recipes and step-by-step tutorials with videos, giving home cooks the knowledge and confidence to cook and bake the most flavorful recipes for every season. Featured on the Food Network, Food & Wine, Taste of Home and more.

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