Pea Roll

Here is the recipe for a tasty Italian-style pea roll.

Ingredients

• 250 g of fresh or frozen peas
• 3 eggs
• 80 g of grated cheese (parmesan or pecorino depending on taste)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 small onion
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 200 ml of milk
• 100 g of cooked ham slices (optional for a vegetarian version)
• 100 g of mozzarella
• Butter for greasing

Preparation

1. If using frozen peas, defrost them following the instructions on the package. If the peas are fresh, boil them for about 10 minutes in salted water. Heat and drain them well.
2. Finely chop the onion and fry it with two tablespoons of oil in a pan, until it becomes translucent.
3. Add the peas to the sauté and cook for a few minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. In a bowl, beat the eggs with the grated cheese, salt, and pepper.
5. Add the flour to the cooked peas and mix well. Then pour in the milk, a little at a time, continuing to stir to avoid lumps. Cook until you get a thick cream.
6. Let the pea cream cool, then incorporate the egg and cheese mixture.
7. Prepare a rectangular baking tray, greasing it and lining it with parchment paper. Pour the mixture in and spread it out evenly.
8. Cook in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 20 minutes.
9. Once baked, turn the roll out onto a damp kitchen cloth, remove the parchment paper and gently roll up. Let cool.
10. When the roll is cold, unroll it, distribute the cooked ham and mozzarella on top, then roll it up again.
11. You can serve the pea roll by cutting it into slices, possibly reheating it to melt the mozzarella.

This dish can be a good solution both as an appetizer and as a main course, perhaps accompanied by a fresh spring salad. If you desire an extra touch, you can add fresh basil or other herbs of your choice to enhance the flavor.