Straw & Hay

Paglia e fieno, “straw and hay” in Italian, gets its name from the tangle of yellow and green pasta on the plate. Regular linguine is the straw, green (spinach) linguine is the hay, and together they create a visually striking dish tossed with mushrooms, peas, ham, and a Parmesan cream sauce.

This is a lighter version of the Italian classic. Skim milk thickened with cornstarch replaces the traditional heavy cream, cutting the fat significantly while still creating a silky sauce that coats each strand. Nutmeg adds the warm, Italian touch that cream sauces need.

The vegetables cook right in the pasta water during the last 4 to 5 minutes of boiling. Sliced mushrooms, frozen peas, and sliced green onions all go in together. One pot, one drain, and the vegetables are perfectly tender alongside al dente pasta.

Chopped ham stirred into the hot cheese sauce warms through without additional cooking, adding salty, smoky bites throughout.

Chef Tips

• Cook the pasta to true al dente. It should have a slight firmness when bitten.
• Stir the cornstarch sauce constantly as it thickens. Cornstarch clumps if you stop stirring.
• Toss the pasta with the sauce immediately after draining. Hot, wet pasta absorbs the sauce best.
• This works as a side dish or a light main course for two.

Variations

• Prosciutto upgrade: Replace ham with thin strips of prosciutto for a more refined Italian flavor.
• Full cream version: Replace skim milk with heavy cream and skip the cornstarch for a richer, more traditional sauce.
• With asparagus: Add blanched asparagus pieces instead of peas for a spring version.