Pasta alle Sette P is a comforting Tuscan pasta made with seven ingredients that all start with the letter P in Italian. A creamy tomato sauce combines leeks, pancetta and peas for a rich, satisfying flavor. The recipe is straightforward and flexible, so you can adapt it to what you have on hand.
Pasta alle Sette P (literally “seven P’s pasta”), also called Pasta ai Sette Peccati (pasta of the seven sins), is a classic Tuscan idea: seven simple ingredients whose names begin with P. The result is a creamy, tomato-based pasta that’s both comforting and bright.
Here are the traditional seven:
- Pancetta (unsmoked)
- Porro (leek)
- Pomodori Pelati (canned plum tomatoes)
- Panna (heavy cream)
- Piselli (peas)
- Prezzemolo (parsley)
- Parmigiano Reggiano
There are regional and personal variations: some cooks add peperoncino (chilli flakes) for heat, while others include peperoni (bell peppers) or even patate (potatoes). This version keeps the balance simple and delicious, and it’s a combination that works surprisingly well.
Ingredients
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Canned plum tomatoes – chopped tomatoes or passata (tomato purée) also work well if you prefer a smoother sauce.
- Cream – omit the cream for a lighter sauce and loosen with a splash of reserved pasta water if needed.
Visual walk-through of the recipe
- Fry the pancetta – warm a drizzle of olive oil in a pan and cook the pancetta until it begins to brown. Add the sliced leek and sauté until soft.
- Add tomatoes – once the leek is soft, add the canned tomatoes and break them up with the side of a wooden spoon (or crush them by hand before adding).
- Add the cream – stir in the cream, season with a pinch of salt, and simmer gently for 5 minutes. At this stage, put the pasta into well-salted boiling water and cook until al dente while the sauce continues to simmer.
- Add the peas, parsley and cheese – 2–3 minutes before the pasta is ready, stir the frozen peas and chopped parsley into the sauce. Drain the pasta, add it to the pan with the grated Parmigiano Reggiano, toss to coat and serve immediately with extra cheese if desired.
More delicious pasta recipes to try
Sauces & Dressings
Sugo Finto (Vegetable Sauce)
Gnocchi
Spicy Sausage Baked Gnocchi
Pasta
Pasta alla Zozzona (A Roman Classic)
Pasta
Pasta With Pancetta, Ricotta and Tomato
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Pasta alle Sette P
By Emily
Ingredients
- 14 oz (400g) Penne pasta (or other short pasta)
- 1 scant cup (125g) unsmoked pancetta, cubed
- 1 leek, cleaned and finely sliced
- 14 oz (400g) canned plum tomatoes
- ½ cup (110ml) heavy cream (double cream in the UK)
- 1 small handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ½ cup (70g) frozen peas
- ½ cup (30g) freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- Salt, to taste
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well. Clean the leek, pat dry and slice finely.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat, add a light drizzle of olive oil and fry the pancetta until slightly browned.
- Add the sliced leek and sauté until soft. Add the plum tomatoes and break them up in the pan with a wooden spoon.
- Stir the cream into the tomatoes, season with a pinch of salt and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente while the sauce simmers for another 10 minutes.
- 2–3 minutes before the pasta is ready, stir the frozen peas and chopped parsley into the sauce. Drain the pasta, add it to the sauce with the grated Parmigiano Reggiano and toss to coat.
- Serve immediately with extra grated Parmigiano if desired.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- Use extra virgin olive oil unless otherwise noted.
- When using canned tomatoes, quality brands give the best flavor.
- Vegetables listed are medium unless otherwise specified.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven where relevant.
- Nutrition information is calculated automatically and should be treated as an approximation.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.