The pairing of peas and ham is always a good one but the secret ingredient of one of Florence’s best-loved contorni (side dishes) is a teaspoon of sugar added towards the end. You can choose to leave it out, especially if using sweet, fresh peas, but it adds a certain characteristic sweetness to the dish. The generous addition of water is intentional; the broth that results from cooking the peas is partly what makes this dish so beloved. As Florentine painter-chef Guido Peyron wrote in his recipe book of 1956, ‘La grazia dei piselli alla fiorentina è proprio di essere serviti con abbondante aquetta saporosa,’ which means something along the lines of: the saving grace of Florentine-style peas is the fact that it is served with abundant flavourful broth. Like many Florentine dishes, this is even better reheated the next day.
Ingredients 8
60 ml extra-virgin olive oil, divided
100 g pancetta, cut into thin strips
1 ‒ 2 garlic cloves, smashed
500 g fresh peas, shelled
4 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp sugar, optional
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste
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Method 3
In a saucepan, gently heat 2 tablespoons of the and cook the and over a low heat for about 1 minute.
Add the , and enough cold water to just reach the level of the peas. Season with a pinch of salt and bring to a simmer. Cook until the peas are tender and the is cooked. Add the (if desired) just before removing from the heat.
Serve warm or even at room temperature with another tablespoon of , freshly ground and plenty of the broth.
Emiko Davies's tips
In Florence you can find baskets of freshly shelled peas at the market, which saves a lot of time. You can also cook this recipe with good-quality frozen peas with great results.
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Notes
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