You can make Paglia e Fieno (Straw and Hay Pasta) in 35 minutes! This creamy peas and prosciutto pasta traditionally features a combination of spinach tagliatelle and plain tagliatelle. Feel free to use regular fettuccine though!
You might be thinking, "What the heck is straw and hay pasta?" But after one bite, you'll be asking, "Where has this been all my life?!!"
Hailing from the Tuscan province of Siena, paglia e fieno means "straw and hay" in Italian. It refers to using a combination of yellow, egg pasta (straw) and green, spinach noodles (hay) to make creamy pasta with prosciutto and peas.
OMG!!
It tastes like a marriage of pasta e piselli and these Italian peas, with a creamy fettuccine Alfredo vibe. But this dish is lighter.
It is, without a doubt, one of the best meals I've ever made and has become a regular part of our dinner rotation. You have to try it!!
Recipe ingredients
Fettuccine: This dish tastes extra delicious when using a combination of fresh spinach fettuccine and fresh, plain fettuccine for a traditional "straw and hay" pasta. It's still incredible when using regular, dried fettuccine, so don't worry if that's all you have.
If you don't have fettuccine or tagliatelle, consider substituting penne or rigatoni. I find spaghetti to be too thin for this dish, but use what you have.
Prosciutto: This dish tastes best when using thinly sliced prosciutto that you stack and cube yourself. There will be more surface area for the prosciutto to brown.
But, you can buy diced prosciutto to use if needed. You also could substitute diced pancetta.
Peas: Use frozen peas for convenience and freshness. You don't have to thaw them before cooking. I recommend buying baby peas because they're sweeter than garden peas.
Shallot: Shallots are like a cross between onion and garlic and almost melt when cooked. They provide delicious savory flavor without being too strong. I use them in many of my pasta dishes!
Heavy Cream: We're using just enough to make a creamy sauce without being heavy. (For comparison, this recipe uses Ā¾ cup less cream than my Alfredo recipe.)
Pecorino Romano: Made from sheep's milk, this is saltier and more poignant than Parmesan. It brings the X-factor! (I buy it at Costco, but you can look for a wedge of it in the Italian cheese section of your grocery store.)
Parmesan: Use freshly grated Parmesan for a smooth sauce. If you use the one in the can, the Paglia e Fieno sauce will be grainy.
How to make it
See the card at the end of this post for the full recipe, but here's an overview.
- Melt the butter and add the cubed prosciutto and chopped shallots.
- When the shallots are soft, add frozen peas, cover and cook for five minutes.
- Add the cream and stir constantly.
- When the cream sauce has thickened and is starting to simmer, turn off the heat and add the Parmesan, Pecorino and red pepper flakes.
Cook the fettuccine and drain it. Stir it into the cream sauce with a little starchy cooking water.
Recipe tips
- Don't add any salt to the creamy sauce, since the prosciutto, Parmesan and Pecorino ingredients are salty enough. Plus, you may enjoy adding more grated cheese to your serving.
- The recipe is written so you can cook the pasta while the sauce is almost finished. If the water is boiling and you'd rather not stop to add pasta while you're finishing the sauce, just lower the heat under the pasta pot and wait to bring the water back to a rolling boil when you're ready.
What to serve with it
While this straw and hay recipe is a complete meal by itself, it works great as a first dish before pesto salmon, fried cod or fried chicken cutlets. Serve it with a side of steamed asparagus. And don't forget the best Italian green salad!
Frequently asked questions
Paglia e fieno will keep for up to four days if stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Since the leftovers will dry out quickly, it's best to add some starchy cooking water to the prosciutto and peas pasta before storing it.
You can reheat straw and hay pasta in the microwave or in a pan on the stove, and it will taste almost as good as when you first made it. Since the leftovers will be a bit dry, you'll need to add a little olive oil or a pat of butter to it before warming it up.
To reheat Paglia e Fieno on the stove, place a little butter or olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and stir to coat. Heat it for five minutes, stirring and tossing frequently.
More pasta recipes like this
- Fettuccine Carbonara
- Creamy Smoked Salmon Pasta
- Walnut Pasta Sauce
- Parmesan Mac and Cheese
- Pecorino Pasta
- Penne with Vodka Sauce
Enjoy!
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Paglia e Fieno (Straw and Hay Pasta)
Ingredients
- 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto (can use diced prosciutto)
- 1 large shallot
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter
- 8 ounces frozen baby peas (no need to thaw them)
- 1 Ā¼ cups heavy cream
- ā cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving if desired)
- ā cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese (plus extra for serving if desired)
- red pepper flakes
- 1 pound fettuccine (For a traditional dish, use 8 ounces fresh spinach fettuccine and 8 ounces fresh, plain fettuccine. See notes.)
- 3 fresh basil leaves (optional)
Instructions
- If using prosciutto slices, stack them and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Peel and finely chop the whole shallot. Grate the cheeses, if needed.
- In a 12-inch skillet, melt four tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the cubed prosciutto and the chopped shallots. Cook until the shallots are soft.
- Add the frozen peas and stir to combine. Cover the pan, lower the heat to medium, and let the peas cook for five minutes.
- Fill a large pasta pot ā full with hot water and place it on the stove. Add 2 teaspoons of salt to the pot, cover it, and heat it on high.
- After the peas have cooked for five minutes, stir in 1 Ā¼ cups of cream to the skillet of peas and prosciutto. Raise the heat to just past medium and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the sauce is thickened and just starting to simmer.
- Turn off the heat under the cream sauce and stir in ā cup of grated Parmesan and ā cup of grated Pecorino. Sprinkle in red pepper flakes to taste.
- When the pot of water is boiling, stir in the fettuccine and cook it according to the package directions until it's al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. (If using fresh or homemade pasta, it will cook in about three minutes, but regular fettuccine will take longer.)
- When the pasta is almost done, scoop out one cup of starchy water and add it to a bowl for later. (A standard-size ladle is Ā½ cup, so scoop out two ladles.) When the fettuccine is cooked, drain it in a colander in the sink.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet of paglia e fieno sauce. Stir it in, along with half a ladle (Ā¼ cup) of reserved, starchy cooking water. Serve the straw and hay pasta immediately, with extra Romano or Parmesan on top if desired. Add cut-up basil if using it.
- If there any leftovers, stir in a little more reserved starchy water so the pasta won't be too dry. Refrigerate the fettuccine in a sealed container for up to four days.
Notes
Nutrition
(Recipe Source: Cooking with Mamma C)
Sonia says
I haven't made this in awhile, I use a Mix of Plain and Tomato Fettucine as My Husband doesn't like Spinach kind. I replace Procuitto with Rosemary Ham Slices as It is Cheaper and Easier to Find in My Area too. Rest is the Same.
DELICIOUS with Baguette and Glass of Pinot Grigio. I am Rasing a Glass and a Toast to Your Father.
Mamma C says
Hi Sonia - I'm glad you enjoyed this with your substitutions! My dad loved it when I'd make this for him.
Evelyn says
My dad makes this dish every so often to remember his days as a busboy/prep cook at a restaurant in California. That was well over 30 years ago and he kept calling it by a different name, so it was almost impossible for me to find an actual recipeā¦ but the word paglia is what helped me find your recipe! Thank you so much for sharing!!
Mamma C says
Hi Evelyn - I'm so glad you found my recipe! Enjoy.
Doris says
I used to make this frequently but haven't in a good while. Your recipe is spot on and you have resurrected my desire to do so! Now off to Costco for some Locatelli. Thanks for a great dish!
Mamma C says
Hi Doris - You're welcome! Enjoy.
Bob says
Very good!! Just wonderful!!
Mamma C says
Hi Bob - I love hearing that! Thanks for letting me know.