Prioneer Woman's Pasta Primavera

It just so happened that I needed a recipe that utilized ham. We baked a ham for the holidays and froze some leftovers in separate portions for later. Well the other week was "later". I took one package out to thaw and used about 1/3 of the ham for potato soup. The next day I was looking around for a ham casserole or something to use up the rest of the ham. One of our favorite ham casseroles is this Eating Well Mac and Cheese. But since it's one of our favorites I made that the last time I used the ham and wanted to try something different this time.

Cue Pioneer Woman publishing this very recipe on the day that I needed it! Previously I had found a gnocchi and ham recipe but Patrick rejected it so I was still browsing around when I saw it. It's really great for using up vegetables you have or subbing in your favorite vegetables. For example I substituted a red bell pepper for the cauliflower. Read on for the recipe! And then follow the hyperlinked title to Pioneer Woman's website for step-by-step pictures!


Pioneer Woman's Pasta Primavera
   Prep Time 10 Minutes | Cook Time 15 Minutes | 6 Servings
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons butter
1 whole medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, Minced
3 whole carrots, peeled and diced
1 cup cauliflower, broken into small pieces
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
8 whole basil leaves, chopped
3/4 cups cooked ham, diced
1 cup frozen peas
Extra Parmesan, for serving
Extra Basil, for serving
1 pound cheese or spinach tortellini

Directions
   Cook tortellini a couple of minutes less than package directions call for. Drain and set aside.
   Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and stir to cook for 1 minute. Add the carrots and cauliflower, stir, and cook 1 minute. Splash in wine and broth, then cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the liquid reduces a bit. Stir in cream and Parmesan and stir.
   When the mixture is hot, stir in peas, ham, salt, and pepper. Allow them to heat up in the sauce. When the sauce is hot, stir in the tortellini. Check for seasonings, add more if needed, and serve with extra Parmesan and basil.

I forgot to grab tortellini when I was at the store so we used a whole wheat spiral pasta instead!

1 comment: