Creamy Pasta with Peas & Ham
A quick and deliciously creamy pasta dish that comes together in minutes! This is my go to recipe when I am having a busy night and just want something filling and effortless. Peas and ham are a marriage made in heaven!
Creamy Shells with Peas & Ham
Ingredients
- 1 lb 450g Pasta Shells
- 1 Shallot Diced
- 2 cups 320g Frozen Peas
- 1/4 cup 85g Water, for steaming
- 6 slices of Ham cut into cubes
- 5 tbsp 71g Unsalted Butter
- 1/4 cup 32g AP Flour
- 4 cups 1 liter Warm Milk
- 1 tsp Salt
- Pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg
- 1/2 cup 60g Freshly Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Instructions
- Into a medium sauce pan melt butter, add flour and whisk to prevent lumps. Cook for a few minutes to remove the raw flour flavor.
- Add in a little more milk and whisk vigorously to ensure that there are no lumps in the sauce.
- Then strip slowly stream in the rest of the milk whisking all the while.
- Once you added all the milk switch to a wooden spoon and cook until thickened, or until it coats the back of the spoon. Add in grated cheese and stir. Set aside.
- Into a sauté pan, add olive oil and shallot. Sauté until softened, then add frozen peas and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add in a quarter cup of water to help the peas steam and cover.
- Once the peas are tender add in the ham and cook for a few minutes.
- Boil the pasta according to the package instructions, drain and add pea mixture and béchamel sauce and mix.
- Top with more freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and enjoy!
