Great use for leftover ham! Quick and easy, ham and peas with pasta, cream and parmesan.
Every year, for at least 30 years, my parents and the neighbors have thrown a Christmas party in their small cul-de-sac. The party used to be more progressive – appetizers in one house, entrees in another, dessert and coffee in another.
Given that most revelers are now in their 80s, we keep the celebrations indoors these days. It’s always a lot of fun, with many old and new stories that are told or retold with great joy every year.
Do we have 14 people visiting? Or 20? For that reason, in addition to the enchiladas I brought to our recent neighborhood Christmas party, I also brought a glazed ham. The great thing about ham is that when it’s not going to be eaten, you have lots of wonderful ham leftovers – ham sandwiches, ham salad, ham soup and this quick and easy Creamy Ham and Peas Pasta.
This pasta dish couldn’t be simpler and is prepared in as little time as it takes to cook the pasta. It’s also delicious. Peas and ham are a classic pairing in many cuisines around the world, and with good reason. Add a little garlic, some parmesan, pepper and lemon zest, toss it with the pasta and there you are!
Pasta with ham and peas
We use frozen peas because it’s that time of year, but you can easily use fresh peas in the spring.
ingredients
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3/4 lb Fusili pasta
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Salt
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2 tablespoon butter
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3 cloves garlicchopped (about 1 tablespoon)
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1 1/2 cups rolled ham
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1 1/2 cups frozen peas
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1/2 Cup cream
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1 Cup cook noodles water (reserved from cooking the pasta)
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1/2 Cup grated parmesan cheese
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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
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3/4 teaspoon black pepper
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1/2 teaspoon Lemon peel
method
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Cook pasta:
For the pasta, heat 4 liters of water and 2 tablespoons of salt in a large saucepan. Once the water begins to boil, add the pasta and cook, uncovered, bubbling until al dente, cooked through but still slightly al dente (low end of the recommended cooking times on the package). Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
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Heat butter, add garlic, add ham and peas:
While you cook the pasta, heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until melted. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the ham and frozen peas.
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Add pasta water, cream, parmesan, zest, salt, pepper to make a sauce:
Stir in 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, which will help thaw the peas. Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
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To serve, toss pasta with sauce:
When the pasta is done, toss it in a serving bowl with the sauce and serve.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 643 | calories |
| 24g | Fat |
| 77g | carbohydrates |
| 30g | protein |
