Peas, Roman Style

1 16 ounce bag tiny frozen peas
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion
4 slices lean salt pork, or 6 medium-thick slices prosciutto
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon sugar

Defrost the peas at room temperature for an hour or so before cooking.

Melt the butter in a deep, wide (11-inch) frying pan. Mince the onion, cut the salt pork into 1/2 inch strips, and sauté' both slowly in the butter until they are translucent. Add the peas, wine and sugar, and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes, or until the peas are tender. Check for moisture in the pan during cooking, and if the peas don't provide enough to keep things juicy, add a little warm water (almost but don't quite cover the peas). When the peas are tender but still firm, some of the liquid will have evaporated, and the sauce, an integral part of this dish, will have thickened slightly.

If you wish to make this recipe fancier, substitute prosciutto for the lean salt pork. Pour the sauce over the peas, and serve.