By Ethan came home on September 15, 2022. Two years to the day. We were all there — Gary and I and Mason and Olivia and Noah and both sets of grandparents and Gary's sister's family and Kara and her husband, which turned into a small crowd at the airport arrival gate that Ethan walked through with two years of Italy on his face and the same quiet confidence he'd left with and something more besides.
He looked like a man. Not a surprise exactly — he was a man when he left, had been for two years — but the full reality of it landed when he walked through the doors and I saw him from across the terminal and he saw me and we walked to each other and I held my firstborn for a long time while the airport moved around us.
Noah — who is ten now — had made a sign. It said "WELCOME HOME ETHAN (AND ALSO WE MISSED YOU)." He held it at exactly the right height and was almost vibrating with excitement. Ethan picked him up and said, "You're heavy." Noah said, "I know. I grew." Ethan said, "I know. I can tell."
I made gnocchi that night. From scratch, with the best Russet potatoes, brown butter, crispy sage leaves. Enough for eleven people. Everyone sat around the extended table, the folding table in the hallway, the chairs retrieved from every corner of the house. Ethan ate two full portions and said nothing except, when he was done: "Mom. Yes." I said I knew. I always know.
I made gnocchi that night because Ethan had spent two years in Italy and I wanted the table to feel like it understood that — like his world and our world had met somewhere in the kitchen. This pasta with peas and pesto captures that same idea: bright, simple, Italian at its bones, and completely at home on a table crowded with people who love each other. It’s the kind of dish that scales for eleven without drama, and it carries the same warmth I was reaching for when he walked through those doors.
Pasta with Peas and Pesto
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb fusilli or penne pasta
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
- 1/2 cup prepared basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooking water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Zest of 1 lemon (optional, for brightness)
Instructions
- Boil the pasta. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. About 2 minutes before the pasta is done, add the frozen peas directly to the boiling water.
- Reserve pasta water. Before draining, scoop out at least 1/4 cup of the starchy cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta and peas together.
- Toss with pesto. Return the drained pasta and peas to the warm pot. Add the pesto, olive oil, and 2–3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Toss well to coat, adding more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce to your liking.
- Season and finish. Stir in the Parmesan, salt, pepper, and lemon zest if using. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve immediately. Divide into bowls and top with additional Parmesan. Best enjoyed warm, at a table with as many people as you can fit.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 415 | Protein: 15g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 59g | Fiber: 5g | Sodium: 370mg