There is this fantastic market nearby my workplace; and when I go, it inspires me to cook. (I wonder why I don't go more often.) More than half the store is produce, all kinds, colors, shapes, and sizes. Truly a wondrous place. On this particular trip, I chose all things green: favas, snap peas and spring garlic. Well, I did buy something red actually, strawberries for dessert (frozen yogurt, perhaps).
Now what to do, what to do. I first thought rice. A bit of nutty brown rice to go with my green vegetables. That takes too long. I'm hungry now. Fresh pasta would be perfect! I'm sorry, did I mention I was hungry?
Acini de pepe it is. Italian for peppercorns, they resemble just that; chewy little beads of pasta. I wanted the pasta to have a flavor of its own, so cooked it in as little chicken stock as possible, adding more stock bit by bit until perfectly al dente. As the pasta bubbled away, I sliced thin rings of spring garlic and crosscut the peas (prepped the favas the night before). Into the warm pasta they go; add a pat of butter, salt and pepper, and stir briskly until the butter has just melted.
Fresh grated Parmigiano over the top, and you've got a bowl of buttered sunshine.
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