This past fall we hosted a private group cycling tour through the western Veneto region of Italy. In addition to daily cycling through lovely vineyards, we enjoyed private winery tours and tastings, wine dinners, visits to Verona, Lake Garda, and Mantova, and two very fun cooking classes. The first was with the chefs at Allegrini’s historic Villa alla Torre.
We made some classic Venetian dishes, including Braised Beef in Amarone, Sbrisolona, and home made fresh pasta with a variety of sauces. We made a fresh tomato sauce, a traditional meat sauce, and a very nice and light sauce with green peas. Here, I share the recipe for the homemade pasta with pea sauce.
In the Veneto, peas are one the first greens to appear in spring. The most prized are from Lumingnano. Introduced to the area by the Benedictines, the monks reclaimed the land at the foot of the Colli Berici making this area ideal for the cultivation of peas, with the perfect habitat for exceptionally early production – lots of sun exposure, and heat held by the rock formations. Using this prime habitat, however, requires a lot of hard work on the part of the farmers, as they are grown in small terraced gardens cut into the steepest positions on the cliffs, in order to make best use of the sun exposure. Everything needed to build the terrace and cultivate the peas had to be carried up by the farmers. The result, however, is an extremely delicate and tasty product.
The Doges of Venice demanded that the peas of Lumingnano be the primary ingredient of their risi i bisi that was traditionally served to the Doges for the Feast of Saint Mark, the patron saint of Venice. This feast day, April 25, coincidentally occurs just about the time the peas first arrive in the markets of Venice.
Today, cultivation of these Lumingnano peas is extremely limited, and are produced only by families for the needs of local restaurants and the Peas Festival, which is held every year in May.
Home Made Pasta with Sugo di Piselli with Allegrini
Serves 6 people as a first course
For the pasta
14 ounces all purpose flour
4 whole eggs
salt
Make a little mound of flour in the center of the table with a hole in the center (like a volcano). Put the eggs and salt in the center.
Beat the eggs and salt well with a fork and slowly incorporate the flour. At this point start to work the mixture with your hands (wash them first, of course!), incorporating all the flour until you form a neat ball.
Knead the dough as much as possible until it forms a smooth and compact ball. Knead it using the lower part of the palm of your hand to elongate the mass, then push it back on itself to form a ball shape again.
The dough is ready when it starts to form bubbles as you knead it.
At this stage, wrap it in some cling film and put it aside to rest for about 30 minutes.
The pasta dough can be rolled out using a rolling pin or with the use of a pasta machine: this rolls out even sheets of pasta which can then be cut into appropriate shapes or strips: tagliatelle ‘ribbons’, fine stringy pasta, sheets for layered lasagna or for making tortellini and ravioli. You can choose what thickness you prefer, fine textured or more coarse, robust pasta.
Pea Sauce – Sugo di Piselle
9 ounces fresh peas
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic
Salt and pepper
In a skillet, melt the butter and saute the minced shallot until it becomes golden brown in color. Add the peas and continue to cook, adding three cups of water (about 10 minutes). Add salt and pepper. Make sure that at the end of cooking the peas remain soft and creamy.
