It’s finally spring, so we decided to give one of our favorite sauces a fresh, green glow-up. While you don’t traditionally find piccata tossed with pasta, this pairing in our March 2026 box is simply too good to resist. Our version of this bright, briny classic uses crispy Frantoi Cutrera Capers and the season’s first sweet peas, all twirled up in our own Please Send Noods Spinach Gemelli.
The best part? This one’s delicious hot and cold. Our March box subscribers can serve it straight from the pan for a steamy night in… or let things cool off and pack it up for a flirty little picnic moment. And if you do take it outside, don’t forget your Raunchier Together Game. A little fresh air and a few bold prompts? Let’s just say things can warm up again real fast.
What You’ll Need to Set the Mood
- For the pasta and sauce:
- 1lb Please Send Noods Spinach Gemelli
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided*
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small shallot, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine (or ½ cup broth with a splash of vinegar)
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon, divided
- 2 cups peas (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup pasta water, reserved
- A pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)
- For the topping:
- 3 tbsp Frantoi Cutrera Capers in Sea Salt, fully rinsed and dried
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2–3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- For the rest of the night:
- Date Night Surprise: Raunchier Together Game
- Musical Mood-Setter: Our Al Dente-Approved Playlist
*Your favorite dairy-free butter or oil also works great here!
Let’s Get Saucy: Step-by-Step
1. Get Crispy First
Heat olive oil in a small fry pan over medium heat, then fry Frantoi Cutrera Capers for 30–45 seconds until crisp; transfer to a paper towel to cool. Stir a little lemon zest into the leftover oil, then set the pan aside.
🔥 Hot Tip: Wash Away the Salty Vibes
Capers are already super briny, so you’ll really want to make sure they are thoroughly rinsed. Give them a quick soak in a small bowl of water for 5–10 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
2. Marry the Pasta and Peas
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; cue up our playlist timer and cook pasta until just shy of al dente (about 12 minutes), adding peas during the last 2–3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
3. Butter Me Up
In a sauté pan, melt a tablespoon of butter, then cook shallot and garlic until fragrant; pour in wine and a pinch of nutmeg, if using. Once liquid is reduced by half, lower the heat and stir in lemon juice and about ½ cup pasta water.
🔥 Hot Tip: Make it Meaty
Crisp up 4-8oz of diced pancetta in the pan first, then remove and set aside until you toss everything together with the sauce.
4. Toss It, Then Gloss It
Add pasta and peas to the sauté pan, tossing with remaining butter in pieces and extra splashes of pasta water as needed.
🔥 Hot Tip: Butter Isn’t the Only Glossy Option
Going dairy-free? Swap butter for a drizzle of good olive oil or a spoonful of plant-based butter. A touch of pasta water will still help create that silky, glossy sauce.
5. Mix Your Zesty Little Fling
In a small bowl, mix together crispy capers, chopped parsley, remaining lemon zest, and the reserved lemon-caper oil.
🔥 Hot Tip: Keep the Extras
This lemon-caper topping doesn’t stop at noods. Sprinkle it over roasted veggies, grilled chicken, fish, or even a simple salad for an instant flavor upgrade.
6. Plate It Up Pretty
Serve up your noods with spoonfuls of extra sauce and generous heaps of the crispy caper topping.
🔥 Hot Tip: Hot or Not
This dish shines warm, but it’s just as flirty served cold as a pasta salad the next day. Add an extra squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil to wake everything back up.
7. Tangle, Twirl, Repeat
Let your forks (and tongues) tangle with a round or two of the Raunchier Together Game.
Want More Where That Came From?
If this recipe got you all hot and saucy, don’t stop now — join Please Send Noods to get more cheeky recipes, premium small-batch pasta, and other flirty extras delivered right to your door every month.