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Home » Recipes » Meat Pasta Recipes

Published: May 2, 2020 · Modified: Feb 25, 2021 by Jacqui

Tagliatelle pasta with fresh peas and pancetta; recipe from Veneto.


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tagliatelle pasta with fresh peas and pancetta

Tagliatelle pasta with fresh peas and pancetta; recipe from Veneto.

Tagliatelle with fresh peas and pancetta

Pasta coi bisi!

Pasta with fresh peas, or ‘pasta coi bisi’ in local dialect, is a traditional spring recipe here in the Northern Italian region of Veneto. This simple pasta dish is more than the sum of its parts, which are few! In fact, the first time I had this dish, I was really quite surprised how tasty it is. Of course, the secret ingredient is fresh peas!

ingredients in basket for pasta with fresh peas and pancetta

The peas

Peas have been cultivated and eaten in Italy since Roman times and before. Nowadays, this tasty and healthy spring legume is an important crop in Emilia-Romagna, Puglia, Sicily, Campania and Veneto.

shelled fresh peas in white bowl

In Veneto, a number of towns or areas are famous for their peas, in particular an area of the Berici hills near Vicenza. Here, there is a local variety of peas that they say are the best peas in Italy. Lumignano peas have been grown in this part of Veneto since 1000 AD. It was Benedictine monks who first introduced them to the area.

chopped onion, pancetta and parsley in frying pan

These peas have apparently been prized for centuries. The Doges of Venice used to order them as the primary ingredient of their ‘Risi e Bisi’ (rice and peas). This was a dish the Doges traditionally ate on the Feast of Saint Mark, the patron saint of Venice. Risi e Bisi is still a traditional way to eat peas here in Veneto.

peas, pancetta and onions in frying pan

Pea festivals!

I love the rural Italian tradition of holding annual festivals to celebrate the harvest of the main local crop. I live in the wine producing area of Soave. Soave is a beautiful Medieval walled town with a castle and every year there is the local wine festival, which we happily attend!. The area I live in is famous for cherries too, so there are also cherry festivals held annually in a number of local villages! 

fresh peas, pancetta and onion cooking in broth in frying pan

Many of the towns and villages where they cultivate peas hold annual pea festivals (sagra dei bisi) in May. The Lumignano festival is usually held in mid-May. Among others, there’s also the ‘festa dei bisi di Baone’ in the Euganean hills area near Padova. Then, closer to where I live is the ‘sagra dei bisi’ in Colognola ai Colli. Visitors to these festivals can buy and eat a number of traditional pea based dishes. The most popular are the rice and peas I mentioned before, as well as pasta with fresh peas made the same way as in this recipe.

Tagliatelle pasta with fresh peas and pancetta in frying pan

The pasta.

Traditionally this recipe is served with flat ribbon pasta such as lasagnette, tagliatelle or pappardelle. I used fresh tagliatelle. However, short pasta such as penne are good in it too.

Tagliatelle pasta with fresh peas and pancetta

Making pasta with fresh peas.

This tagliatelle pasta with fresh peas is super simple to make. All you need for the sauce is fresh peas, pancetta, onions and vegetable stock. Some people use beef stock but I prefer vegetable. After frying the onion and pancetta, you simply add the peas and the stock and let the peas cook in the liquid. The result is really tasty.

If you want to make this dish at other times of the year, you could use frozen or tinned peas. However, the result might not be as flavourful. Fresh peas take longer to cook and this is necessary for them to absorb the other flavours and for the sauce to thicken.

tagliatelle pasta with peas and pancetta

Fresh peas are so good for you!

Of course, buying fresh peas normally means having to shell them. But, it’s definitely worth doing if you want to experience the authentic taste of this dish. Kids usually like shelling them and that might motivate them to eat them too! So, get them to help! Fresh peas are much healthier anyway. They contain a long list of vitamins and nutrients some of which may be lost when the peas are canned or frozen .

If you make this tagliatelle pasta with fresh peas recipe I’d love to hear how it turns out and if you liked it. Please leave a comment here on the blog or on The Pasta Project Facebook page. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Buon appetito!

Other spring pasta recipes.

  1. Fusilli with asparagus
  2. Poached salmon and asparagus lasagne al forno
  3. Gargati pasta with spring ragu
  4. Green pasta salad with edible flowers
Tagliatelle pasta with fresh peas and pancetta

If you are interested in learning how to make homemade pasta and different types of gnocchi, check out my shop page for some great video online courses from my friends in Rome! Nothing beats learning to make pasta from Italians! Plus while you’re there why not order a copy of my newly published autumn/winter pasta recipes cookbook!?

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Tagliatelle pasta with fresh peas and pancetta
tagliatelle pasta with fresh peas and pancetta

Tagliatelle pasta with fresh peas and pancetta, recipe from Veneto

Jacqueline De Bono
A delicious spring pasta and peas recipe from Northern Italy that is simple to make and very tasty!
5 from 16 votes
Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian, Northern Italy, Veneto
Servings 4
Calories 689 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g tagliatelle pasta (14oz) you can use fresh or dried tagliatelle or other ribbon pasta like lasagnette. I used Giovanni Rana fresh tagliatelle
  • 800 g fresh peas (1.5lbs)
  • 1-2 spring onions (large)
  • 80 g pancetta (3oz) cut into cubes
  • 1 cup vegetable stock you can also use beef
  • 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 handful fresh parsley chopped
  • 50 g Parmigiano Reggiano or grana (2oz) grated
  • salt for pasta and to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1 knob butter

Instructions
 

  • Shell and wash the peas. Cut the pancetta into small cubes, peel and finely chop the spring onion and chop a handful of parsley. 
  • Heat the olive oil in a frying pan or skillet and add the onion, pancetta and parsley. Cook over a low heat until the onion softens and the pancetta turns pink, add the peas and a cup of broth. 
  • Season with salt (not too much as pancetta is quite salty) and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally until the peas are tender and the sauce thickens. About 10-15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, boil some water in a saucepan for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again. Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet. Fresh pasta only needs about 3 minutes.. 
  • Drain the pasta. add it to the pan with the sauce and add a knob of butter and a sprinkling of Parmigiano cheese. Mix everything together well and serve.

Notes

I like to fry some extra pancetta until it gets crispy and add it to the plate before serving! But you can also make this dish without pancetta for a vegetarian version. Add mushrooms instead!
I used fresh tagliatelle from Giovanni Rana but other pasta ribbons, such as lasagnette or pappardelle are traditional too. You can also use short pasta like penne.
Keyword authentic Italian pasta recipe, fresh peas, Italian recipe, pancetta, peas, tagliatelle, traditional italian dish

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This recipe was originally published in 2018 but has been updated.

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More Meat Pasta Recipes

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  • 7 Leftover Meat Sauce or Bolognese Recipes.
  • Pasta alla Boscaiola (with sausage & mushrooms)
  • Italian Creamy Beef Ragu Recipe

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Allen Dodson says

    April 26, 2021 at 3:52 am

    This was great. Easy , tasty, and a great way to use the first fresh peas of the season here in California!

    Reply
    • Jacqui says

      April 28, 2021 at 7:22 pm

      Thanks for your comment Allen! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe. I agree easy and tasty!

      Reply
  2. Victoria says

    August 25, 2020 at 5:19 pm

    I tried this recipe a couple of times. I used fresh peas from Malta . It’s very easy to make and tastes delicious.

    Reply
  3. Lathiya says

    June 10, 2020 at 10:30 pm

    I just love to cook with fresh produce and this tagliatelle pasta with fresh peas looks so delicious. WIll be trying soon.

    Reply
  4. Mirlene says

    June 29, 2018 at 12:42 pm

    Beautiful dish. Looks refreshing. Love adding peas to my pasta. Looks good.

    Reply
    • The Pasta Project says

      May 04, 2020 at 4:10 am

      Thank you, Mirlene. It is a really lovely spring /summer dish. Especially perfect if you love peas and pasta!

      Reply
  5. Stephanie Simmons says

    June 25, 2018 at 11:58 pm

    You always have the most amazing pasta dishes! Pasta’s one of those foods I tend to forget about but I’m for sure making this!

    Reply
    • The Pasta Project says

      May 04, 2020 at 4:11 am

      That is so kind of you, Stephanie! There are so many delicious recipes still to share!

      Reply
  6. Michelle says

    June 25, 2018 at 9:20 pm

    I love pasta pancetta and peas. It’s a perfect match. Great tips on how to prepare this delicious dish. Thank you for sharing this.

    Reply
    • The Pasta Project says

      May 04, 2020 at 4:12 am

      They are a great combination. I am glad the tips are helpful too!

      Reply
  7. Julie @ Running in a Skirt says

    June 25, 2018 at 5:29 pm

    What a delicious salad! The addition of fresh peas is genius. I love all the flavor here.

    Reply
    • The Pasta Project says

      May 04, 2020 at 4:17 am

      I cannot take credit for the genius of peas and pasta, it is delicious!

      Reply
  8. Mayuri Patel says

    June 25, 2018 at 1:53 pm

    I enjoy reading about the traditional pasta dishes from regions of Italy. A wonderful insight to what ingredients different regions use to make a pasta dish. We usually make pasta with peas and other veggies added and I always thought that was an “Indian” invention! Now I can boast that peas with pasta is an authentic Italian dish 😉

    Reply
    • The Pasta Project says

      May 04, 2020 at 4:19 am

      Absolutely, Mayuri! It is interesting to hear about the different variations across the globe!

      Reply
  9. Katie Crenshaw | A Fork's Tale says

    June 25, 2018 at 3:58 am

    I love this at the restaurants. Your recipe looks even more lovely. I can’t wait to make this for my family. It looks like a delicious bowl of comfort.

    Reply
    • The Pasta Project says

      May 04, 2020 at 4:20 am

      It is so easy to make, I am sure you would love it even more than the restaurant made!

      Reply
  10. Chef Mireille says

    June 25, 2018 at 12:43 am

    tagliatelle is one of my fave pasta cuts and this quick pasta is perfect for summer!

    Reply
    • The Pasta Project says

      May 04, 2020 at 4:20 am

      It is perfect for summer and so easy to make.

      Reply
  11. Brian Jones says

    June 24, 2018 at 7:56 am

    Peas ham and pasta, a perfect combination if you ask me… Glorious!

    Reply
    • The Pasta Project says

      May 04, 2020 at 4:21 am

      Absolutely, Brian!

      Reply
  12. Gingey Bites says

    June 23, 2018 at 7:02 pm

    This looks so fresh and delicious, definitely one to try soon! I love pancetta and the sweetness of the peas must work perfectly.

    Reply
    • The Pasta Project says

      May 04, 2020 at 4:22 am

      The fresh peas really make it!

      Reply
  13. Demeter says

    June 23, 2018 at 4:06 pm

    Those peas are gorgeous! Definitley the star of this dish!

    Reply
    • The Pasta Project says

      May 04, 2020 at 4:22 am

      They are lovely little gems nestled in the pasta!

      Reply
  14. Tina says

    June 23, 2018 at 3:32 pm

    This pasta looks incredibly delicious, and easy to make. I love that you’ve included all the historical bits as it was a very interesting read.

    Reply
    • The Pasta Project says

      May 04, 2020 at 4:23 am

      Thank you, Tina. I really enjoy sharing the context to the recipes.

      Reply
  15. Julia says

    June 23, 2018 at 2:47 pm

    Now I can eat a ton of fresh peas. When picked at the right time, it’s so sweet! Love the flavor combo in this dish.

    Reply
    • The Pasta Project says

      May 04, 2020 at 4:23 am

      You can never eat too many peas, especially freshly picked!

      Reply
  16. Claudia Lamascolo says

    June 23, 2018 at 2:38 pm

    This pasta dish reminds me of when grandma made this as a child and I love pasta and peas it looks great

    Reply
    • The Pasta Project says

      May 04, 2020 at 4:24 am

      That sounds wonderful, Claudia!

      Reply
  17. Natalie says

    June 23, 2018 at 2:02 pm

    This pasta dish looks absolutely gorgeous – so colorful and rich! Perfect for a healthy dinner!

    Reply
    • The Pasta Project says

      May 04, 2020 at 4:25 am

      The colours in this dish are beautiful!

      Reply

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Buon giorno and welcome to my pasta project! My name is Jacqui. I’m originally a Londoner but in 2003 life’s journey brought me to the beautiful Veneto region of Italy where…

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