Pasta with Ham, Peas, Garlic and Ricotta Salata

While I was walking through my local grocery store, I found something new and interesting.  It is a cheese called "Ricotta Salata."  I did not know what I would do with it but I tossed it into my cart anyway.  When I got home, I looked for some likely recipes.  This one looked perfect.  Except, I added some ham to make it a complete meal.  You have to admit, ham is the perfect addition to this dish.  I guess I could have used bacon but the ham just seemed to be calling to me.  I found it interesting that my mother told me she ate ricotta salata often during her childhood. For me, it was something different but for her it is an old familiar cheese that she hadn't seen in a long time.  Everything old is new again, I guess.

Ricotta is a moist fresh cheese made from whey that is used in Italian dishes like lasagna, manicotti and cheesecake. Ricotta salata is a variation of ricotta that has been pressed, salted and dried.

Ricotta salata is hard and white and has a mildly salty, nutty and milky flavor. It can be shaved or grated over salads, pastas and vegetable dishes.

Pasta with Ham, Peas, Garlic and Ricotta Salata

Adapted from Food & Wine

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 cup fresh baby peas (1 pound unshelled)

1 cup ham, diced

1 pound linquine

Salt and pepper ground pepper

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped marjoram

½ cup crumbled or shaved ricotta salata or feta cheese (about 2 ounces)

Directions:

1.     Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet.  Add the garlic and cook over low heat, stirring until very soft and golden, about 3 minutes.  Add ham and cook for another 2 minutes or until heated through.  Remove from the heat.

2.      In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, blanch the peas in a strainer until just tender, about 3 minutes.  Transfer the peas and ham to a bowl

3.      Add the linquine to the saucepan and boil until al dente.  Drain the linquine, reserved ¼ cup of the cooking liquid.   Return the pasta to the saucepan and toss with the garlic, oil, peas and reserved pasta water.  Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the marjoram.  Top with the cheese and serve at once.

 Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Fettuccini Rigate with Peas & Pancetta

This recipe is adapted from one that I found on ABC's tv website by Rocco DiSpirito. I increased the amounts of pasta and other ingredients to serve 6 or 8 people. I don't know if you can find fettuccini rigate at your local grocery store but Barilla has just come out with it in our area. The difference between regular fettuccini and fettuccini rigate is that the rigate has lines in the pasta. The lines actually help hold the sauce onto the pasta. If you have ever eaten regular fettuccini you might have noticed that the sauce sort of drips right off. I also added the peas and pancetta. You could also add chicken and broccoli. The combinations are numerous. I just tasted this pasta and I like it a lot. I think it is quite yummy. It has much less fat than the normal Alfredo pasta sauce. I would definitely make this again if the boys enjoy it. I have to say that I like anything with ham and peas. It is a very "Italian" combination from what I have seen. You can always leave out the peas and just do bacon or ham but that just seems wrong to me. The only complaint was that there was not enough sauce. Next time, I'll have to increase the amounts for the sauce again or decrease the amount of pasta.

Fettuccini Rigate with Peas & Pancetta

1 box Fettuccine Rigate (Barilla)

2 tablespoon butter

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Pinch of ground nutmeg

1-1/2 cup low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth

3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1-1/2 cup 5% Greek yogurt

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups frozen peas, thawed

¼ pound Pancetta cut into strips (may substitute ham or bacon)

Cooking Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook according to the package directions, 9 to 11 minutes; drain.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and pancetta and cook until fat is rendered. Discard excess fat.

Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch and nutmeg in a small bowl. Whisk in the chicken broth until smooth. Pour the mixture into the sauté pan, add the peas, raise the heat, and bring the sauce to a simmer, whisking occasionally. Whisk in 1/2 cup of the cheese until it has melted. Remove the sauté pan from the heat and whisk in the yogurt until the sauce is smooth.

In a large bowl, toss the cooked fettuccine with the Alfredo sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top the pasta with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese, and serve.

Serves 6-8

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook