A delicious seasonal recipe that will delight kids and grown-ups. Homemade farfalle pasta dressed with a creamy sauce made of peas and onion, tiny slivers of guanciale, and grated Asiago. You could use store bought farfalle or any pasta you like.

Song of the day: Bang - AJR

Creamy Farfalle with Peas, Guanciale and Asiago-in the platter-closeup

Eating seasonal most of the times, is our way to go. Produce is at their peak, resulting in plenty of flavor, and we can buy local and organic. As soon as fresh peas start making their appearance at the farmer's market, we make sure to buy plenty, to use fresh in our recipes, and also to freeze for later.

Farfalle, homemade or store-bought

All in all, making homemade pasta is so fulfilling. True, it requires some skills, and a bit of your time to execute. But in the end, if you make it a family activity and have fun along the way, it will totally be worth the effort.

With Loreto we enjoyed making these tri-color farfalle using beets, spinach, and turmeric to naturally color the dough. If you have a Kitchen Aid with the pasta attachment and a pasta cutter with corrugated edges, you can follow our step by step and try making your own farfalle. However, you can use a store-bought pasta. Farfalle would be a nice and fun pasta shape, but any short pasta would work well.

The sauce

In detail, the sauce for this Creamy Farfalle with Peas, Guanciale and Asiago is a combination of sauteed peas and onion, of which some are pureed, crispy strips of guanciale, and grated mild Asiago.

In the first place, do all the prep. Boil the peas for 2-3 minutes, or just until slightly tender. Chop the onion, cut the guanciale in strips, grate the Asiago.
After that, puree half of the peas in a food processor with a bit of the water the peas were cooked in, until creamy and set them aside. Then, sauté the guanciale strips in a pan until crispy. Remove, set aside, and leave the pan with the juices in.
At this point, add the peas and chopped onion to the pan, and a little evo oil if you do not have enough oil from the guanciale. Sauté for a couple of minutes, or until onions are translucent. Turn off the heat.
Next, add back the guanciale to the pan with the peas and onion and mix to blend.

Adding the pasta to the sauce

The next steps are what bring the dish together.

Cook the pasta according to the time on the package. Keep in mind that homemade pasta cooks in less time than store-bought. Drain with a slotted spoon, reserving some of the pasta water. Add pasta to the pan on low heat with the peas and guanciale, and top with a little of the grated Asiago.
Now add the pea puree, and more of the grated Asiago, leaving some for the top. Stir well to combine, adding a little of the pasta water to create a lovely creaminess. Keep on the stove for just the time necessary to combine all the ingredients and flavors.

Plate your pasta, sprinkle the last of the Asiago on top, add a few fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of evo oil.

Creamy Farfalle with Peas, Guanciale and Asiago-in the platter

Substitutions or modifications

Definitely, you can customize this dish to your diet and liking.

Farfalle pasta - homemade or store bought, or any other pasta shape you like (short pasta works better).
Onion - you can use yellow, purple, or white. Also, shallot works great.
Guanciale - you can substitute with pancetta. Omit to make the dish vegetarian.
Asiago - you can use Fontina, Caciocavallo, Provolone, or any mild soft cheese that melts beautifully. Vegan option: omit, together with guanciale, and use a vegan cheese instead.

Creamy Farfalle with Peas, Guanciale and Asiago-plated with fork

Next time you see fresh peas at the market, buy some and try this Creamy Farfalle with Peas, Guanciale and Asiago. You will love its fresh, bright flavor, and the creamy texture with lovely bits of peas and crispy guanciale.

Buon Appetito!