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Pasta with Peas and Ham in a Fontina Cheese Sauce

Here's how you make Pasta with Peas and Ham in a Fontina Cheese Sauce
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  • Servings: 5
  • Prep: 10m
  • Cook: 20m
    • The following recipe serves 5 people.

Ingredients

The ingredients are:
  • Penne pasta (I like a small ridged pasta, but you can also use a parpadelle, tagliatelle, or even linguini)
  • 1 1/2 cups baby peas (I just use the frozen ones)
  • 2 cups diced ham (you can use more or less if you like, use what you have)
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 2/3 cups heavy cream (use a mix of milk and heavy cream for a lighter sauce)
  • 1 cup Fontina cheese, grated (gruyere can be substituted, but it isn't the same)
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • Pepper to taste
We recommend you get your ingredients ready before you start cooking. Once you're ready, here are the steps to making this delicious recipe

How to Make

  • Step 1: Sauce ... In a medium size pot, add the olive oil and bring to medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute 2-3 minutes until tender. Then, add the cream and bring to a light boil; reduce to medium low heat and simmer 5 minutes as you start the pasta.

  • Step 2: Pasta ... Cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions. When the pasta is al dente, drain reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

  • Step 3: Finish ... Add the fontina and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese to the cream, along with the ham and peas; stir on medium low heat until the cheese is melted. The sauce will be thick.

  • Step 4: Once the cheese is melted, add the sauce to the pasta and mix well. Add some of the reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce a bit.

  • Step 5: Finish ... Then to finish the dish, add the bread crumbs, the remaining parmesan cheese, parsley, and pepper to taste; toss to combine.

  • Step 6: Serve ... Add a dinner salad, and dinner is served. ENJOY!

We hope you enjoy this recipe!

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