A simple Italian classic that turns weeknight cooking into a little spring celebration
“Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party.’” — Robin Williams
There’s something about spring that just makes you want to cook again.
The light changes, the air softens, and suddenly the kitchen feels less like a chore and more like a place you actually want to be. Markets start filling up with bright greens, and you find yourself grabbing armfuls of anything fresh and in season without even thinking twice.
That’s exactly where this dish comes in.
Straw and Hay Pasta—or Paglia e Fieno—is one of those effortlessly beautiful Italian recipes that looks impressive but couldn’t be simpler to make. It’s named for the mix of golden egg pasta and green spinach pasta, tossed together like ribbons of sun and grass. Add a silky cream sauce, sweet peas, and crispy pancetta, and you’ve got something that feels special… without trying too hard.
The Best Part? It Tastes Like Spring
This dish isn’t just pretty—it’s all about what’s in season.
Sweet peas are the real star here. They bring that fresh, slightly grassy sweetness that only shows up this time of year. Frozen peas work perfectly (honestly, they’re a weeknight lifesaver), but if you spot fresh English peas at the market, grab them. They’re worth it.
Scallions add a soft, delicate onion flavor that melts right into the sauce, and
Pancetta brings that salty, crispy bite that balances everything out. It’s creamy, fresh, savory, and just a little indulgent—in the best way.
Make It Your Own (Easy Spring Swaps)
This is one of those recipes that plays well with whatever you have on hand:
Asparagus – sliced thin and sautéed for a little bite
Leeks – soft, buttery, and slightly sweet
Sugar snap peas – for crunch and freshness
Fava beans – if you want to elevate it a bit
Prosciutto or bacon – both work beautifully in place of pancetta
Think of this as your base—and then make it yours depending on what looks good at the market.
What to Drink With It 🍷
A cream-kissed pasta with salty pancetta and sweet spring peas calls for wines that are bright and structured enough to cut the richness without overwhelming the dish’s delicate character.
Pinot Grigio – clean, citrusy, classic pairing
Vermentino – a little more interesting, slightly herbal and bright
Both cut through the richness and keep everything feeling light and balanced.
Why This Is Perfect for a Weeknight
This is a true 30-minute pasta—no shortcuts, no compromises.
You build a quick sauce, cook the pasta, toss everything together, and finish with plenty of Parmigiano-Reggiano and fresh herbs. That’s it.
It’s simple, comforting, and exactly the kind of dish that reminds you why Italian cooking never goes out of style.
Straw + Hay Pasta with Pancetta, Spring Peas & Cream
Cuisine: Italian | Serves: 4 | Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
4 scallions, trimmed and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup baby peas (fresh or frozen)
4 oz pancetta, diced
⅔ cup chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream or half-and-half
½ lb egg pasta (fettuccine or linguine)
½ lb spinach pasta
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Heat olive oil in a saucepan. Add scallions and cook 1–2 minutes.
Stir in peas and cook another 2–3 minutes.
Add pancetta and cook until crisp and golden.
Pour in broth, simmer until reduced slightly, then add cream. Cook until silky.
Cook pasta until al dente, then transfer directly into the sauce.
Toss everything together over high heat until glossy.
Finish with Parmesan, black pepper, and parsley. Serve immediately.
Final Thoughts
This is the kind of dish that feels like a reset after winter—light, fresh, and just a little indulgent. Perfect for a casual dinner, but pretty enough to serve to friends with a chilled bottle of wine and a good playlist in the background.
Simple, seasonal, and seriously satisfying—this is spring on a plate. 🌿🍝
Keep Exploring
If you loved this recipe, there’s more where that came from:
👉 Read the full, more personal essay on Substack (deeper storytelling + behind-the-scenes inspiration)
There’s something about Easter that always feels like a gentle exhale.
A shift.
A soft return to light.
A reminder that something new is always just around the corner.
This year, I found myself leaning into that feeling more than ever—creating a menu that’s bright, fresh, and full of life… while quietly stepping into a brand new chapter of my own.
At the heart of this Easter table is a Grilled Peach and Avocado Salad that feels almost too pretty to eat—almost. Juicy, ripe peaches layered with crisp greens, a kiss of citrus, and just enough richness to balance it all out. It’s simple, but elevated. Effortless, but intentional.
The kind of dish that doesn’t try too hard… and still steals the show.
✨ “This is the kind of recipe that feels like golden hour on a plate—fresh, glowing, and just a little bit magical.”
It’s everything I love about spring cooking: seasonal ingredients, vibrant color, and letting the natural beauty of food do the talking.
It’s made with juicy grilled peaches, avocado, arugula, baby kale and spinach mix, red onions and topped with a lovely Shallot Vinaigrette and crumbled feta and honey toasted pecans.
I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for some Summer sunshine in my life!
Enjoy ☀️
theartfulgourmet
Grilled Peach + Avocado Salad
A beautiful sunny Spring salad made with juicy grilled peaches, avocado, arugula, baby kale and spinach mix, red onions and tossed with a lovely Shallot Vinaigrette and garnished with crumbled feta and honey toasted pecans.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Cut peaches into wedges while grill is preheating.
Spray hot grill liberally with non-stick spray. Grill peaches for 4 to 6 minutes or until peaches are nicely marked on all cut sides. You can also grill the peaches in a grill pan for the same effect.
Make vinaigrette by combining shallots, lemon juice, mustard and olive oil, salt and pepper to taste - whisk until just combined.
Assemble salad, in a large bowl. Add mixed greens, peaches, avocado slices and red onions.
Drizzle with dressing and toss gently to combine.
Top with crumbled feta (if using) and toasted pecans for garnish on top of the salad. Add more avocado slices on top if desired.
Notes
If you are vegan and want to make this recipe dairy-free, simply remove the feta cheese crumbles and substitute with a soy-based vegan cheese or more nuts, fruit, or veggies. Nutrition 870 cal | 45g carbs | 73g fat | 15g proteinRecipe adapted from H-E-B
📸 SOME NEW NEWS
I’ve recently opened a new ShopMy online shop where I’m curating some of my favorite things – food, wine, books, cookbooks, cooking and baking supplies, clothes, shoes, cosmetics and homegoods and so much more.
One of my ShopMy Partner merchants, @campsnapcamera, just gave me a NEW custom discount code for my followers – and it gives you 7% off all Camp Snap cameras! Code: KRISTEN-HESS7 Discount: 7% off
Check in often as I’ll be partnering with more cool brands to offer special discounts to my followers!
And if you’re not in the mood for shopping but are liking my content, you can support me with any amount donation at Buy Me A Coffee
New Community Pages + Upcoming Online Courses
I also have a new Artful Gourmet Community Page where I’ll soon be offering online Food Styling & Photography Courses, free downloadable PDF resources, cookbooks, e-books, 1:1 coaching sessions, and live demos and teaching sessions (also starting these soon on my Substack!) so stay tuned for more so you can sign up for these.
📸 Work With Me – Online Booking Site
Behind the scenes, there’s been just as much blooming happening as there is on the plate.
This season marks a new evolution of The Artful Gourmet—one that feels more expansive, more connected, and more aligned than ever.
I’ve been building out new ways to experience the brand, including:
Curatedonline shopping pagesfeaturing my favorite kitchen, styling, and entertaining finds
Streamlined online booking to make working together easier than ever
I do custom estimates for larger shoots including food styling, photography, food and branded videos, social media content creation, and multi-platform brand collaborations and sponsored campaigns.
Reach out and send me a message on the contact form on my portfolio site or send an email to studioinfo (at) theartfulgourmet.com with your project details and contact info and I’ll be in touch to discuss and provide a quote.
If you’re interested in my preset food photography packages – you can book me online here.
The Artful Gourmet Podcast + YouTube
If you haven’t tuned into The Artful Gourmet Podcast yet we have three podcast mini-series you can check out – each with a different theme but all related to food, creativity, mindset and living an Artful Life.
INTO FOCUS Series
A series on mindset, resilience, and the business side of being a creative entrepreneur. In these inspiring motivational episodes, I delve into the stories and insights that will shape the series, offering a sneak peek into the compelling narratives and thought-provoking discussions of what it takes to become a successful creative business owner, photographer and creator.
Whether you’re a long-time listener or new to The Artful Gourmet community, this series promises to captivate and inspire. Stay tuned to discover what lies ahead in “Into Focus.”
A new interview series where I sit down with creators, tastemakers, movers and shakers to talk about the journeys behind the work. The inspiration. The challenges. And the lessons learned along the way.
So pull up a chair…pour a glass of wine or grab a coffee…
Groovy Eats is pure nostalgia! This is the place where we highlight and bring back to life all of our favorite retro music, recipes, history and “vibe” of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. You’ll find heartfelt storytelling with personal memories, great food, and a lot of groove.
I also produce companion essays, stories, playlists, videos, photos from every Groovy Eats episode on the blog and Substack to give you a full picture of that time and place with multimedia storytelling.
Stay tuned for episode 4 launching in April. We’ve got disco, 70s cocktails,late night party bites and plenty of sequins and disco lights to bring the house down.
Don’t miss this one!
Season 2: The 1980’s and Season 3: The 1990’s will be coming out later this year and next year, so stay tuned for more retro food, music and fun 🤩 ☮️ 💃
And you can also tune into all of the Groovy Eats companion podcasts on YouTube and Substack, or wherever you get your podcasts.
MORE NEW NEWS!
🎥 Women In Power TV Episode
My TV documentary episode on Women In Power is airing in mid-2026 on Inside Success Networks on major streaming platforms!
The new show highlights women entrepreneurs and small business owners and leaders in their industries and each episode tells a story of the women’s experience starting their business, their biggest achievements and how they found success- even in the midst of obstacles and struggles by simply believing in themselves and working hard to follow their dreams.
My episode was shot in South Beach last November and the whole experience was so. much. FUN!
I had a blast meeting Rudy Mawer, Producer and Owner of Inside Success TV and we had a great conference and parties, meetups etc. where I got to hang out with all of the cast and crew from the show.
It feels like a full-circle moment—returning to my roots, my creative foundation, my people. The city where so much of this journey began.
There’s something about New York that sharpens your edge, expands your vision, and reminds you what you’re capable of.
✨ “Some places don’t just inspire you—they remind you who you are.”
I’m beyond excited to step back into that energy, reconnect with friends and family, and open the door to what’s next.
As always, wishing you all a fabulous Easter, and week ahead – remember to stay inspired, stay happy and stay hungry.
Kristen 😃
Kristen Hess | The Artful Gourmet
Food. Style. Travel. Creative Living.
Hi, I’m Kristen—food stylist, photographer, and creator behind The Artful Gourmet. This is where I share a curated mix of elevated recipes, food styling and photography tips, travel-inspired dishes, and creative lifestyle inspiration designed to make everyday moments feel a little more artful.
From behind-the-scenes looks at my shoots to seasonal cooking ideas, mindset insights, and the tools I actually use in my work, you’ll find a blend of beauty, flavor, and storytelling woven into everything I create. If you love thoughtfully styled food, fresh ingredients, and living well with intention, you’re in the right place—pull up a chair and stay awhile. 🍷✨
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