Piselli Alla Romana

As starches, peas love fat. An excellent example is the Italian preparation Piselli alla Romana, using olive oil and ham. Romans use prosciutto. I prefer the Spanish serrano as it is less likely to dry out and is less salty. This dish was given to me by Giuseppe, the attentive owner of New York’s excellent Sistina restaurant. In the spring I have been known to make a whole meal of these peas.