Oven-Roasted Pea Soup with Mint and Mascarpone Dressing

This isn’t the split-pea type of pea soup but instead is made with fresh or frozen English peas—those bright green orbs—and then topped with a decadent dollop of mascarpone cheese mixed with cream cheese, which is the Italian answer to crème fraiche or sour cream, but better! Mint and peas are good partners but you don’t find mint soup too often.

This recipes comes to us courtesy of Fabio Viviani and is featured in his book, Fabio’s 30-Minute Italian.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 cups green peas, thawed if frozen, ¼ cup reserved for garnish
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• ¼ cup mascarpone cheese
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
• ¼ cup chopped mint
• Salt and pepper 

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

Place olive oil, butter, peas and shallots on a sheet tray and roast in oven for 8 minutes. While in the oven, heat vegetable stock in a pot until right before boiling. Season stock with salt and pepper.

Mix the cream cheese, heavy cream, and mascarpone in a stand mixer until combined and slightly loose—don’t whip it too much. Add lemon zest and mix one more time to combine. Season with salt and set aside.

When peas are done, add to stock and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce to a simmer, add parsley and mint, and cook for 5 minutes.

Using a hand or stand blender, blend the soup until silky smooth. If too thick, add a touch of stock or water.

Serve soup with a drizzle of the mascarpone mixture in the middle and the reserved fresh peas to garnish.

From Fabio’s 30-Minute Italian by Fabio Viviani; published by St. Martin’s Press. Copyright ©2017 by Fabio Viviani. All Rights Reserved. Used with Permission. Page 52-53. Photo by Matt Armendariz.