Lady Pea Salad with Pesto

August 3, 2015

We love to try interesting pastas. Here we used Fergola Sarda from Lazzaroli’s Pasta shop in Germantown. However you can use any small pasta, even Israeli couscous. Serve this alongside grilled or rotisserie chicken with a crisp white wine. Make ahead and serve cold–perfect for hot summer nights.

Ingredients

1 small red onion, slivered

Juice of one lemon

1 cup field peas (pink-eye, lady, black-eye, crowder)

1 cup cooked orzo, Israeli couscous, or Fergola Sarda, cooked according to package directions

1/2 cup pesto (store-bought or homemade)

2 tomatoes, quartered

1 cup sliced cucumbers

1 avocado, cut into eighths

Shredded Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

Preparation

Field peas, a product of the south, are in season now, and ready to be savored. You can find bags of shelled peas at the farmers market as well as peas that you can shell yourself. The variety can be a bit baffling. There are lady peas, purple hulled, black eye, pink eye, and crowders to name a few. Fortunately they are all pretty interchangeable. Contrary to how your Grandma may have cooked them, we like them crisp or al dente, tossed with other summer ingredients in a salad, such as this recipe.

Peas will be available in farmers markets starting in July. Stacy and Sonja Geny of Paradise Produce Farm in Joelton grow field peas and include them in their CSA.

Paradise Produce Farm
Stacy Geny, Jr.
7801 Whites Creek Pike
Joelton, TN 37080 (Davidson County)
Phone: (615) 476-9203 // 971-645-9875
 E-mail: paradiseproducefarms@gmail.com 

You can buy Fergola Sarda at:

Lazzaroli Pasta
1314 5th Avenue North
Historic Germantown
615-291-9922

Place slivered red onions in a bowl and toss with the juice of one lemon. Let sit for about 30 minutes before adding to the platter.
Cook peas in water to cover for about 10 minutes. Peas are ready when they “give” when pressed between your fingers. Drain and combine with pasta in a bowl or platter.
Toss pea mixture with 1/2 cup pesto. Top with tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, avocados, onions, olive oil and white balsamic vinegar. Gently toss. Serve with a grated Parmesan and a dollop of pesto on the side.

Serves 4.