A pasta-and-cheese that even vegans loved

It was one of the first pasta dinners I made after my sister and brother-in-law announced they were going vegan. We were in their kitchen in southern Maine, where I spent last year helping them with their homestead, and I was making a sauce from the best of the early summer produce, right from the huge garden outside.

It was based on the classic French side dish of braised lettuce and peas, but I turned it Italian by tossing it with curly pasta and a touch of mint.

As it neared readiness, I needed to make ask them to make one - OK, two - little exceptions to their diet in service of the dish and its integrity. "Please don't put nutritional yeast on this. And let me use ricotta salata."

For those of you unfamiliar with nutritional yeast, it's a deactivated, flaked yeast, often fortified with extra B vitamins, that vegans appreciate for its nuttiness and ability to substitute for cheese in cooking. (Its nickname: nooch.) I've used it in sauces, and it's fabulous on popcorn.

As a purist, however, I have a tough time swallowing its use as a substitute for one of the great cheeses, Parmigiano-Reggiano. And I knew there'd be no substitute for the crowning touch: the pure-white ricotta salata, with its slight brine and uniquely firm yet slightly spongy texture that makes it perfect for shaving and crumbling onto vegetables that could use a little kick.

They relented. Actually, it didn't take much persuading. They already had been making exceptions here and there, mostly for eggs, prompting me to coin the term "vague-an."

They appreciated the pasta that night, nodding and smiling, but, if they make it themselves, they'll be reaching for the nooch.

Makes 3 or 4 servings

Kosher or sea salt

8 ounces dried cavatappi, farfalle, or other pasta

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 small onion, thinly sliced

One 8-ounce head romaine lettuce, cored and cut crosswise into thin ribbons

3 cups freshly shelled peas (may substitute frozen/defrosted peas)

4 scallions, trimmed, cut crosswise into thin slices

1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 cup chopped mint leaves, for garnish

2 ounces ricotta salata, shaved, for garnish (may substitute crumbled feta cheese)

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions, leaving it slightly undercooked (just shy of al dente). Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

2. Meanwhile, pour the oil into a large skillet fitted with a lid, over medium heat. Once the oil starts to shimmer, add the garlic and onion, cover and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the lettuce, peas and scallions; cover and cook until the lettuce has fully wilted, 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Reduce the heat to low, keeping the vegetables warm until the pasta is ready.

3. Uncover the vegetables and pour the pasta into the skillet, tossing it with the vegetables. Add some of the pasta cooking water as needed to moisten the vegetables. Transfer the pasta and vegetable mixture to a large, shallow serving bowl, toss with the Parmigiano-Reggiano, then sprinkle with the mint and ricotta salata. Serve immediately.

Per serving (based on 4): 420 calories, 17 g protein, 62 g carbohydrates, 11 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 210 mg sodium, 9 g dietary fiber, 10 g sugar