Springtime Indulgence: Pasta with Ham and Pea Cream Sauce

 

This recipe has been teasing us for a while now - it sounds just so indulgent, made up of a base of ham, cream, and butter, that it's probably not the kind of thing you can eat every day. But, it also comes together extremely quickly and easily, and the result is a silky smooth, luxurious, slightly sweet, salty, savory dish that will be gobbled up quickly.

This pasta with ham and peas in a cream sauce is a perfect example of simple Italian cooking that's perfect for the spring. If you can get fresh peas, this will taste even better. We didn't have them on hand and the frozen worked just find, augmenting the saltiness of the ham beautifully and giving a bit of a nutritional boost to the overall dish.

Give this one a try next time you're in the mood for something a little creamy - you'll be glad you did!

Making the Dish

What You'll Need
4 oz ham, diced into cubes,
3 tbsp butter
1/2 onion, diced
1 cup peas
1/2 lb pasta
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Get started by cooking up the pasta in boiling water. This sauce should come together in less time than the pasta takes (assuming you chop up everything beforehand.

In a skillet, melt the butter. Once it stops frothing, add in the onion and stir together. Add in a small dash of salt, and then simmer until the onions start to caramelize slightly. When they do, add in the ham and cook over medium heat, browning the edges of the ham very slightly. This will heighten the flavor of the ham.

Once the ham is slightly caramelized, you can add in the peas. Stir together and cook until warmed through.

Finally, add in the cream. It will be just a dash of cream so don't expect it to cover all of the peas and ham entirely. Let the cream come to a low boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 3 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened, then remove from heat.

When the pasta has finished cooking, add in a small amount of pasta water to the sauce and then drain the pasta. Add the ham and pea sauce to the drained pasta as well as the grated pecorino and a healthy amount of fresh ground pepper. Toss everything together over medium heat until everything is nicely combined.

Serve and enjoy!

One Year Ago: Shepherd's Pasta