Ham and Pea Pasta Carbonara

If you’re looking for a rich and satisfying pasta dinner, this Ham and Pea Pasta Carbonara will quickly become a family favorite!

MY OTHER RECIPES

This recipe came about because I had a craving. I had a craving and a frozen ham steak in the freezer. I had a craving and a frozen ham steak in the freezer and a hungry family.  I had a craving and a frozen ham steak in the freezer and a hungry family and a half gallon of heavy cream in the refrigerator that needed to be used up. You see how these things happen?

I had never made pasta carbonara but I had been obsessed with the idea of trying it. If you’ve never had a mac n cheese where egg yolk was incorporated into the sauce to make it rich and creamy, well – you’ve been missing out. If you shy away from having egg yolk in foods like homemade aioli where its not exactly cooked, you need to step out of your comfort zone and give it a try. A whole world of rich food awaits!

I didn’t tell my family that this sauce had egg yolk in it for fear that they’d be turned off, and they (husband and kids included) thought this was one of the best dinners I had ever served. I mean, what’s not to love? Flavorful smokey ham, vibrant green peas, pasta – no descriptive words needed there, and a rich and creamy parmesan sauce. Need

Ham and Pea Pasta Carbonara

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Serves 6 servings     adjust servings

If you're looking for a rich and satisfying pasta dinner, this Ham and Pea Pasta Carbonara will quickly become a family favorite!

Ingredients

• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 8 ounces ham, thinly sliced
• 10 ounces peas, steamed
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup parmesan, grated
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper, as desired

Instructions

1. Ensure all ingredients are chopped/measured/prepared before you start cooking. The goal is to time the recipe so that the pasta has finished cooking at the same time the ham, pea, and onion mixture is done.
2. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling water.
3. Heat butter and oil in large saute pan and cook onion over medium high heat until golden brown, about five minutes. Add ham, peas, and garlic and cook long enough to heat through.
4. Meanwhile in a separate bowl, combine eggs, parmesan and heavy cream. Whisk to combine.
5. Prior to drain pasta, add about 1/2 cup of the cooking water to a measuring cup in case it is needed to thin the sauce later on.
6. Drain hot pasta and return to pot. Add hot ham and pea mixture. With the heat off, add the egg mixture to the hot ingredients and stir very well to combine. The hot ingredients will cook the egg enough to turn it into a wonderful sauce without scrambling the egg. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.

by Krissy

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