Papa’s Peas and Pasta

When you grow up with an Italian immigrant as a father, you eat a lot of pasta.  Here is one of my favorite pasta dishes.  It is super simple and downright delicious.

Several tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 onion chopped

2 garlic cloves minced

1 – 12 oz. package of frozen peas

1 lb. elbow pasta

¼ cup chicken stock

½ cup Parmesan or Romano cheese

Simple Steps:

1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot.  Add pasta.  Follow recommended time on the box.  While the pasta is cooking follow the simple steps below.  They should both finish around the same time.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Cook peas in microwave or on stove top.  Set aside.
4. Heat 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil in frying pan over medium heat.
5. Add onions to frying pan and sauté for 3 – 4 minutes.
6. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
7. Add peas and chicken stock.  When your pasta is finished, so should your pea, onion and garlic mixture.
8. Grease the inside of large casserole dish, mine is 2.8 liters.  I take a piece of wax paper and grab some margarine.  I then use the wax paper to grease the bottom and sides of the dish.
9. Combine the pasta, ¼ cup of the water the pasta was boiling in, and the pea, onion and garlic mixture in the casserole dish.
10. Sprinkle the top with cheese.
11. Bake covered for 20 minutes.  Uncover and back an additional 10 minutes.
12. Enjoy!