Straw & Hay Pasta with Pancetta, Spring Peas & Cream
The Italian classic that makes weeknight cooking feel like a seasonal celebration.
"Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party.'" — Robin Williams
There is a particular kind of magic that happens in the kitchen when the seasons turn. The air softens, the markets brighten, and suddenly the urge to cook feels less like routine and more like ritual. Spring has a way of doing that — coaxing you back to the stove with armfuls of tender green things and the quiet promise of something fresh, alive, and deeply satisfying on the plate.
This is exactly the spirit behind Straw and Hay Pasta — Paglia e Fieno, as the Italians so poetically call it. A dish as beautiful as it sounds. Named for the intertwining of golden egg linguine and verdant spinach linguine, it arrives at the table looking like a tangle of countryside meadow grasses, cloaked in a silky, herb-kissed cream sauce. It is rustic Italian cooking at its most elemental: simple, seasonal, and utterly transporting.
"The first sure signs of Spring are not crocuses or robins — they are the arrival of peas at the market and the impulse to cook something green." — Unknown
The Season on Your Plate
What makes this dish sing in Spring isn't just its color palette — though the jewel-bright peas and forest-dark pasta ribbons are genuinely gorgeous together. It's the produce itself, arriving at peak sweetness and vibrancy just as we're emerging from the long gray drag of winter.
Sweet baby peas are the star here — tender, pop-bright, and carrying that unmistakable grassy sweetness that only exists in the brief window between late March and June. Defrosted frozen peas work beautifully and honestly perform like champions in a cream sauce, but if you happen upon fresh English peas at your farmers market, shell them yourself and use them immediately. You will taste the difference.
Scallions bring a gentle, almost floral allium bite — more delicate than onion, less aggressive than shallot — and they wilt into the cream sauce with a tender elegance that feels entirely of the season.
And then there's the pancetta — cured, nutty, crisped in olive oil until it catches golden at the edges — providing the savory backbone that keeps this dish from floating away into sweetness. It's the contrast that makes everything else shine.
Spring Variations: Make It Yours
One of the quiet joys of this dish is how naturally it adapts to whatever the season is offering. Consider these swaps and additions as an open invitation:
🌿 Asparagus — Cut thin spears on the bias into 2-inch pieces and saute them alongside the scallions. They bring a grassy bitterness and gorgeous texture that pairs beautifully with the cream.
🌿 Leeks — Slice into half-moons and cook low and slow in butter until melted and sweet. They add depth and a subtle sweetness that elevates the sauce considerably.
🌿 Fava beans — Blanched, peeled, and folded in at the end, favas are a Spring luxury that make this dish feel genuinely special-occasion worthy.
🌿 Sugar snap peas — Halved and added at the very end, they bring crunch and freshness that cuts beautifully through the richness of the cream.
🥓 Prosciutto or crispy bacon — Either stands in for pancetta with distinction. Prosciutto adds a more delicate, floral saltiness; thick-cut bacon brings a deeper, smokier register.
What to Pour: Wine Pairings
A cream-kissed pasta with salty pancetta and sweet spring peas calls for wines that are bright and structured enough to cut the richness without overwhelming the dish's delicate character.
🍷 Pinot Grigio delle Venezie — A classic Italian pairing for a reason. Crisp, dry, and lightly mineral with a clean citrus finish, a good Pinot Grigio refreshes the palate between bites and lets the peas and cream do their quiet, beautiful work. Look for bottles from Friuli-Venezia Giulia for a step above the ordinary.
🍷 Vermentino di Sardegna — If you want to be a little more interesting at the table, reach for a Vermentino. It carries a lively acidity, a hint of fresh herbs, and just a whisper of salinity that makes it a natural soulmate for pancetta, pasta, and anything tasting of Spring. It's the kind of discovery that makes dinner guests lean in and ask *what is that?*
Why This Works on a Weeknight
At its core, this is a thirty-minute, one-pot pasta — and not in the corner-cutting, compromised sense, but in the truest, most satisfying sense. You build the sauce in a large saucepan, cook your pasta separately until just al dente, then marry the two over high heat until the cream reduces into something glossy and clinging. A generous snowfall of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a crack of black pepper, a handful of bright parsley — and dinner is done.
It is the kind of cooking that reminds you why Italian cuisine has endured for centuries: not through complexity, but through a deep respect for quality ingredients and the wisdom to leave them largely alone.
Straw + Hay Pasta with Pancetta, Spring Peas & Cream
Cuisine: Italian | Serves: 4 | Total Time: 30 minutes
Recipe adapted from Splendid Table
Ingredients
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 4 scallions, trimmed and sliced into thin strips, about 3 inches long
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 cup frozen baby peas, defrosted *(or fresh shelled peas, if in season)*
- 4 oz (1/2 cup) diced pancetta
- 2/3 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1/2 lb dry egg fettuccine or linguine
- 1/2 lb dry spinach fettuccine or linguine
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, for garnish
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil over high heat.
2. Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the scallions and cook for 1-2 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Stir in the peas and cook another 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes — until crisped and lightly golden at the edges.
4. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the liquid reduces by half, about 3-4 minutes. Add the heavy cream and continue simmering for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce is velvety and slightly thickened.
5. Cook both pastas together in the boiling salted water for about 9 minutes, until just al dente — tender but with a satisfying chew. Remove with a slotted spoon or tongs directly into the sauce. Reserve a splash of pasta water.
6. Toss the pasta in the sauce over high heat, letting everything come together in a glossy, cream-coated tangle, about 1-2 minutes. Add a splash of pasta water if needed to loosen.
7. Remove from heat and fold in the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Taste and adjust seasoning. Plate generously, finishing with extra cheese, a heavy crack of black pepper, and a shower of fresh parsley.
Simple, seasonal, and soul-satisfying — this is Spring on a plate. Pour yourself a glass of something cold and crisp, gather the people you love, and let this dish do exactly what the best Spring cooking always does: make everything feel lighter, brighter, and full of possibility.
Cheers, friends. Happy cooking. 🌿
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And I’d love to hear in the comments below what your favorite Spring produce or recipes are!
Kristen Hess is a food stylist, photographer, recipe developer, and food writer behind The Artful Gourmet. Find more recipes, food stories, and culinary inspiration on her Substack.
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Tags: Spring Recipes, Italian Food, Pasta Night, Weeknight Dinner, The Artful Gourmet, pasta recipes
Such a classic, and in the spring, I've made it with ramps, too!