Garden Mint & Sweet Pea Pasta

Two things set this dish apart from mint/pea pasta combos I have had in the past: I picked the mint from a patch in my own garden, and I used wide egg noodles instead of the typical fettuccine or spaghetti noodles. The egg noodles took on a dumpling-like quality making this simple pasta dish into a hearty meal all on its own.

2 tablespoons butter

1 shallot (minced)

1 clove garlic (minced)

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup millk

1/4 cup cream cheese

3/4 cups fresh or frozen english peas

2 servings wide egg noodles

6 stalks fresh mint (leaves removed and chopped)

Put a large pot of water on to boil. In a large pan, melt butter over medium heat, and then add the shallot and garlic. Allow this mixture to cook for a few minutes until the butter stops bubbling. Careful not to burn the garlic. Add the flour, and whisk. Cook until the flour is pale brown. Add milk and whisk until thickened. Add the cream cheese, and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Cook pasta according to package instruction, and then add the pasta, peas, mint, and about 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the pan. Toss over medium heat to incorporate. Garnish with a few more peas and some more fresh mint, add salt & pepper, and enjoy.