Ham, Pea and Mushroom Pasta

Luxury Ham and Pea Pasta

Serves 2

Stuck with leftover ham ? Why not dice up the cooked ham and create a creamy, rich pasta.

This recipe is takes advantage of any of your leftover ham which was originally a smoked gammon and that you retained the stock used when poaching it, as explained in our Mustard and Honey Glazed Ham recipe.

1 TB olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
95g mushrooms, thickly sliced
½ cup reserved ham stock
210g leftover ham, fat removed (trimmed weight)
60g frozen peas
1 cup double cream
2 portions pasta, shape of your choice
freshly cracked black pepper
Parmesan, finely grated

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and over a moderate heat, soften the onions and garlic. Add the mushrooms, and increase the heat to caramelise the mushrooms. Pour in the reserved ham stock and reduce the liquid completely: all the liquid should evaporate leaving a concentrated deep, smoky ham flavour in the onion mixture.

Add the chopped ham and frozen peas and pour in the cream. Cook over moderate heat until the cream reduces by half and thickens.

In the meantime, cook the pasta al dente, then drain. Tip the pasta into the pan (only once the cream has sufficiently thickened to coat the pasta), and combine well.

Divide between two bowls and serve. This dish requires no salt seasoning, only a generous crack of black pepper and a sprinkle of finely grated Parmesan.