Sometimes simple is best. Maybe you’re tired and in a time crunch. Or perhaps you’re craving food that reminds you of childhood. Whatever the case, I think you’ll enjoy this pasta with mortadella, peas and Swiss cheese.
The one-pot meal calls for a short list of ingredients and comes together in minutes. (Feel free to use bacon or ham in lieu of mortadella for convenience.) More important, it’s familiar and comforting, like a warm blanket.
To be honest, I made pasta with mortadella, peas and Swiss cheese because I didn’t want to cook but still needed to eat. The combination was surprisingly satisfying, and so I thought I’d share it with you. What are your favorite fast and easy recipes? Let me know in a comment below!
P.S. If you’re in the mood to bake, try your hand at Patty Catalano’s apple butter scones. They’re delicious!
Recipe adapted from The New York Times Cooking No-Recipe Recipes.
- 8 ounces lumache or other short pasta
- 1½ cups frozen peas
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 cup diced mortadella
- ½ cup grated Swiss cheese
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- olive oil, for finish
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta 2 minutes less than al dente according to package directions. Add peas and cook for 1 minute. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
- In the same pot used to cook the pasta and peas, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add mortadella and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
- Add cooked pasta and peas and ½ cup reserved cooking liquid to pot and stir to combine. Add Swiss cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons butter and stir vigorously until combined. If necessary, add more reserved cooking liquid to loosen the sauce.
- Add prepared mortadella and stir to combine. Season with pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and top with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
