Sautèed Peas with Pancetta and Onions


When I took on the assignment to create different kinds of recipes for Thanksgiving, I was panicky. I love creating recipes. In fact, that's what I actually do. But not having Thanksgiving in Italy, I didn't know how or where to start. Conferring with the editor, I was told to create new ideas for Thanksgiving. Then I thought of the most reliable and fastest way to understand how I was going to start - through Facebook. I asked my North American friends what they usually eat, love to eat, and would love to eat. From there, I started to prepare for my Thanksgiving recipes and I didn't realize that it would actually be fun because it was like I was preparing a whole menu for my own Thanksgiving dinner for my family. 


Turkey went high on everyone's list but there were some who also ate other kinds of meat (the non-turkey lovers like me) and who would consider other kinds of meat other than turkey. Along with the turkey or other kinds of meat came the gravy. So I thought that if ever I have to eat turkey or beef with a lot of gravy, then my side dish has to be simple and can go easily with the sauce.

Since I made the Polpettone or Italian Stuffed Beef, I accompanied it with this Sautèed Peas with Pancetta and Onions. They go perfectly well together. In fact, if I have polpettone, I wouldn't be able to think what else to partner it with. And since I learned how to cook and eat polpettone with sautèed peas in my mother-in-law's house, by default and because we all love both, I continued the same thing in my house. I did modify things a bit my own recipes but sometimes I go back to her original ones. She would not put pancetta in hers but I found that the side dish rockets high with flavors when I put them.


This side dish is both my kids' favorite whether it's for breaded fish or other kinds of meat with sauces. And thinking of turkey with gravy, this simple side dish would have to be a very good accompaniment. 

You can get the Sautèed Peas with Pancetta and Onions recipe at Thanksgiving. I hope you have been enjoying the series of recipes that I have been sharing for Thanksgiving. My last one will be a cocktail drink which I will be posting next. Until the next one!

Other Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas: