I recently came across a nice vegetarian recipe in a hundred-year-old cookbook. Macaroni and Green Peas can be served as either an entree or a side dish. The dish is vegetarian (not vegan, since cream coats the macaroni and peas). The cream adds flavor and richness to the dish.
The source of this recipe, The New Cookery cookbook, contains nutrition information for each recipe. This is the only hundred-year-old cookbook that I’ve ever seen with this much information.
This recipe didn’t make very much- and according to the nutrition information – the entire recipe only contains 604 calories. The old cookbook indicated that the serving size was 4 ounces which seems small for this type of dish. In my opinion, if this recipe was made as the main dish, there would be enough for 1 generous serving. If it was served as a side dish, it would make enough for 2 servings.
Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:
Macaroni with Green Peas
1/2 cup macaroni
1/2 cup green peas (fresh, frozen, or canned) – I used frozen peas. I put them in boiling water until they were hot, then removed from heat and drained.
1/2 cup light cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
Heat water in a saucepan to boiling; add the macaroni and cook 7-9 minutes until al dente. Remove from the heat and drain. Add a little cold water, then drain again. Add cream, peas, and salt; return to stove. Using medium heat, bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes until the cream thickens into a sauce while stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and serve.
A Hundred Years Ago 
An interesting combination.
I love it–anything with green peas and any sort of pasta.
Same here!
Absolutely!
I’ve been hungry for peas, so this is a must try. I like the small size recipe! Thank you!
My mother always made peas with cream sauce but never added macaroni. This sounds good.
Reading this recipe I can smell the basement of a Lutheran Church.
Okay, that was funny–I truly laughed out loud. 🙂
Glad to amuse.
Good, we need some amusement. 🙂
A Unitarian church as well!
I’m not as familiar with Unitarian basements, but I’m not surprised. Haha.
I laughed. I’m Lutheran, but I’ve never belonged to a Lutheran church with a basement.
That’s sad. The basements is the best part!
Our fellowship hall was in the basement of the Methodist Church where I grew up–many meals, banquets and a few dances. We were thought scandalous. 🙂
Very edgy for sure!
I’m not a ‘pea gal’, but I would enjoy that with some fresh from the garden.
Fresh ones, frozen ones, or eat them cold right out of the can with pepper and saltines. 🙂
Haha! We got a hard-core pea gal, right here!!
Learned it from my mother. 🙂
Good girl!! I hid mine under my plate as a child, then ran outside to play. 😆
Oh, you were naughty! Didn’t your mother find them and come insist you eat them off the table, or where they were stuck to the plate? Now turnip greens, I might have been right there with you.
I ate everything as a child-still do!! She knew this was just too much. And, her peas were AWEFUL! But I was a little imp.
That looks tasty. I should not have read this post just before dinner, however. I am now really hungry.
Me too!
So simple! But I bet it’s delicious. You could easily substitute coconut milk for the cream.
Nice combination.
The comment section on your blogs always make for good reading, and today, chuckling (that church basement comment).
Looks great, Sheryl. Could also use non-dairy cream!
We had this all the time when the boys were young! It was an easy way to get peas into them and I would mix in a little shrimp and call it “Under the Sea Surprise” They are on their own now and still make this as it is an easy recipe!!
That looks beautifully simple and refreshing. I bet it’s really light too.xxx
This looks to be a mighty tasty dish. I think it would make a good side dish.
I would have love this as a child.. mom would mix in tuna with it.. but when one is hungry it was inhaled ,tuna and all.