Pasta Paglia e Fieno (Patreon)

I’ve been working on a new dish for my NYT column I’m calling Macaroni and Peas—a sort of hybrid between stovetop mac and cheese, fettuccine Alfredo, and Roman-style carbonara. It’s creamy without being gluey, rich without being heavy, and built around the sweet pop of peas against salty pork and sharp cheese.

While tinkering with it, I kept thinking about a somewhat under-the-radar Italian pasta called paglia e fieno—“straw and hay.” It gets its name from the mix of plain (straw-colored) pasta and green pasta, traditionally spinach. The classic version includes peas and pancetta in a light cream sauce. It’s usually treated as a spring dish when fresh peas are abundant—but frankly, frozen peas are fantastic here, and cream-sauced pasta feels more at home in fall and winter anyway.

This version leans into what I love most about the dish: speed, balance, and that silky sauce that clings to noodles instead of pooling underneath them.

If you make this, pay attention to what’s really happening in the pan: the starchy water + cream + rendered pork fat + cheese forming a temporary emulsion that coats every strand. Once you understand that structure, you can start riffing—swap pancetta for guanciale, cream for mascarpone, peas for asparagus, add lemon zest, drop the cream and go more carbonara-style. Your kitchen is yours.

Recipe: Paglia e Fieno (Straw and Hay) with Peas and Pancetta

Every recipe I publish here is personally tested, tasted, and approved.

What I love about this recipe:

Frozen peas are not a compromise—they’re sweet, bright, and cook in seconds.

The sauce builds directly in the pan with the pasta, which means better emulsification and better texture.

Pancetta + cream + Parm is an unbeatable backbone.

It’s weeknight-fast but dinner-party worthy.

Yield: Serves 4

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Notes: Reserve more pasta water than you think you’ll need. The sauce should look slightly looser in the pan than you want on the plate.

Ingredients

Kosher salt

1 pound (450g) long, flat dried pasta such as fettuccine, linguine, or tagliatelle (use a mix of plain and spinach pasta if you want the traditional “straw and hay” look)

1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil

2–3 ounces (60–85g) sliced pancetta, cut into thin ribbons

2 scallions, thinly sliced on a sharp bias

1 cup (240ml) heavy cream

1 cup (150g) frozen peas

2 ounces (about 3/4 cup, 60g) finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley or chives (optional)

Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Boil the pasta.Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until just shy of al dente—about 2 minutes less than the package instructions. It should still have a faint chalky core. Drain, reserving at least 1 cup (240ml) of the starchy pasta water.

Render the pancetta.While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil and pancetta in a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pancetta is lightly browned at the edges and starting to crisp, about 4 minutes. Add the scallions and cook just until softened, about 30 seconds.

Build the sauce base.Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer while the pasta finishes cooking.

Finish in the pan.Add the drained pasta to the skillet along with 1/2 cup (120ml) reserved pasta water and the frozen peas. Increase heat to high and cook, tossing and stirring continuously, until the pasta is fully al dente and the sauce thickens into a glossy coating.

If it looks tight or sticky, add more pasta water a splash at a time. Remember: it should look slightly looser than perfect in the pan. It will tighten as it cools on the plate.

Emulsify and serve.Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan and herbs (if using). Toss vigorously until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes silky. Adjust texture with additional pasta water if needed. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan at the table.