Italian eggs and peas (uova e piselli) is one of the easiest dinner recipes you’ll love to add to your recipe rotation.
It’s meatless but packed with proteins. It’s redicuously simple but your mouth will water just from looking at it.
It’s bright, colorful but you can make it all year long.
It’s light and delicate but add a piece of rustic bread that you can (must!) dip in the creamy, runny egg yolk and it will turn into an ultimate comfort food.
Ingredients You’ll Need
There are only 3 main ingredients plus oil, salt and pepper. This is how I make them 9 times out of 10. But eggs and peas are quite a versatile recipe that you can cutomize and make your own.
- Eggs – there should be no compromises on the main ingredients, so choose free-range or pasture-raised eggs. You will not regret.
- Peas – during spring time fresh sweet snap peas easily beat the taste of anything in the bag. But frozen peas make this dish a year-round, plus super convenient option so this recipe calls for those. Just make sure to pick small young peas variety, also called petite pois for the best flavor.
- Shallot – it’s easily available year round and has a milder flavor of that of an onion. But you can easily substitute it with leek, spring onions or any other type of onion. The quantity is also to taste, you can use as much or as little as you prefer.
- Extra virgin olive oil – adds depth of flavor to other ingredients. You’ll only need a good splash for the whole dish. It can be substitued with butter.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Variations and Possible Add-Ons
- Carrots for additional color and flavor. Add diced carrots once onion is slightly cooked. Carrots give additional color and flavor to the whole dish. They also come handy when you don’t have enough peas for the whole pan.
- Pancetta or bacon. Toss it in a dry pan until lightly browned then proceed with the recipe from the beginning. You’ll need less oil or not oil at all depnding on the pancetta you use.
- Tomato sauce is another great add-on to eggs and peas. Add it to the pan just a few minutes after adding the peas. In this case you won’t have to add any water since the tomato sauce will prevent the peas from drying out when cooked.
- Parmesan cheese is one of my favorites. The best way to incorporate its flavors is by adding grated Parmesan to slightly beaten eggs. Once the peas are cooked simply add the Parmesan egg mix to the pan and mix as if you were cooking scrambled eggs.
How To Make Eggs & Peas – Step By Step
- In a large skillet add a splash of extra virgin olive oil and a finely chopped shallot/onion.
- Cook on medium heat for about a minute or until shallot becomes translucent, be careful not to burn it.
- Add frozen peas. Cook on medium heat until peas are soft.
NOTE: Add a little water if they start to dry out. Make sure to stir frequently. - Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Make 4 openings in the peas to fit the eggs.
- Break in the eggs. Using a spatula cut the egg whites around each egg yolk so that the raw egg white leaks on the hot pan surface. This way they will cook faster and more even.
- Cook for about 3-4 minutes until the egg whites are completely cooked but the yolks are still runny.
NOTE: If you prefer, you can make the eggs well done. Simply cover the pan with a lid once the eggs start cooking.
More Recipes With Peas
If you love sweet peas here are few more recipes you’ll love!
- Minestrone Soup – green peas are a wonderful to use in a summer version of this classic minestrone soup. See the recipe for more details.
- Garmugia – a spring soup from Tuscany. It’s rich, flavorful and packed with the most delicious vegetables for the season.
- Spezzatino – Italian Beef Stew with peas – pure comfort food that’s impossible to resist.
Full Recipe
Eggs & Peas
Print Pin Rate / CommentServings: 2
Ingredients
- 4 eggs (free range)
- 21-25 oz frozen sweet peas
- 1 shallot
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt , pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet add a splash of extra virgin olive oil and a finely chopped shallot/onion.
- Cook on medium heat for about a minute or until shallot becomes translucent, be careful not to burn it.
- Add frozen peas. Cook on medium heat until peas are soft. Add a little water if they start to dry out. Make sure to stir frequently. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Make 4 openings in the peas to fit the eggs.
- Break in the eggs. Using a spatula cut the egg whites around each egg yolk so that the raw egg white leaks on the hot pan surface. This way they will cook faster and more even.
- Cook for about 3-4 minutes until the egg whites are completely cooked but the yolks are still runny.
Notes
If you prefer, you can make the eggs well done. Simply cover the pan with a lid once the eggs start cooking.
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Buon Appetito!