Sugar-snap peas too fine not to use in Italian recipe

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Dear Lynne: Do Italians ever make pasta with peas? Never have I seen a recipe, yet I'd like to give it a try. Any guidelines to know? -- Toby in RochesterDear Toby: Italians have made pasta with anything and everything that hasn't moved through the kitchen too fast. There's a basic technique for turning a vegetable saute into a sauce that is especially handy to know in summer.You do it by using seasonings to set off the flavor of the main vegetable. For instance, with sweet peas, lemon zest and garlic, or slivers of prosciutto point up the pea's character. You exaggerate accents slightly so the pasta doesn't overwhelm the saute. Then you usually "lengthen" the sauce with pasta water. The pasta water's starch and salt season, thicken and lend more quantity to the saute.Clumsily created recipes use lots of cream instead, but this is scorned by Italian purists for covering up the clean flavors of the saute, and for throwing unnecessary calories into the dish. I must admit that almost anytime I see something like two cups of cream in a pasta dish, the first thought is: "A cook who doesn't know what he's doing, or who is taking the lazy way out."The big finish for the vegetable saute pasta is a good cheese. With sweet peas, a mouth-filling, nutty-tasting Parmigiano-Reggiano is especially fine.See if this rendition pleases you, and know you can vary the seasonings to taste. Sugar-snap peas are not a typical item in Italy, but right now here in many American regions they are too fine to pass up. In Italy you use what is local and best. That's the code for this dish.PENNE WITH BASIL-SCENTED SUGAR SNAPS, LEMON AND PARMIGIANOServes 4 as a main dish.The pasta could be served hot, or at room temperature, which is often the case during Italy's summers.Cook to Cook: While penne works nicely, there is nothing sacred about using that particular shape -- try small shells, fusilli, cavatappi or others.Pasta:5 quarts salted water in a 6-quart pot1 pound imported penne pasta (De Cecco, Rusticella, Latini, Settaro, Sgambero, Geraldo e Nola, La Molisana, etc.)Vegetable Saute/Sauce:Good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil5 large cloves of garlic, sliced paper-thinSalt and freshly ground black pepper2 generous pinches hot red pepper flakesShredded zest of a large lemon2 to 3 whole scallions, cut into half-inch pieces on the diagonal2 to 2-1/2 pounds sweet-tasting sugar-snap peas with their strings removed, and cut into thirds1/3 loosely packed cup fresh basil leaves, torn1 to 1-1/2 cups coarsely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice.Set the water to boil, covered.Once it is boiling hard, drop in the pasta and simmer it (uncovered), stirring often until just firm enough to resist the tooth. With a heatproof measure, remove about 1 cup of the water, then immediately drain the pasta in a colander.While the pasta cooks, generously film the bottom of a 12-inch, straight-sided saute pan with the oil. Set it over medium high heat. Once the oil is warm, stir in the garlic, salt and a generous amount of black pepper. Adjust heat so garlic cooks slowly but doesn't color. Once it is fragrant, blend in the red pepper flakes, lemon zest, scallions and peas.Saute the peas, uncovered, stirring often, until they are barely tender (about 3 minutes). If the pasta isn't ready yet, remove them from the heat -- do not cover. Once the pasta is drained, taste the peas for seasoning, and warm them.Add about 1/2 cup of water to the pan and boil it for a few seconds, stirring. You want it to create more "sauce" in the pan, but not be watery.Now add the pasta to the pan, tossing it to coat with the peas; the pan sits over medium to medium-high heat. You want the peas' "sauce" to permeate the pasta. Toss in the basil, then the cheese to taste, and finish with the lemon juice to taste. Serve the pasta hot or warm.(Lynne Rossetto Kasper hosts "The Splendid Table," American Public Media's national food show, and is co-author of "The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper: Recipes, Stories and Opinions." Ask questions and find Lynne, recipes and station listings at splendidtable.org, or 800-537-5252.)