Penne alla Papalina

…AKA my quick, easy way of making a ham and pea pasta. But saying it in Italian makes it fancier right? LOL

First, I started my pasta water for penne. Next, I diced a ham steak,  chopped garlic and onions and then sauteed all in a pan with some pepper until crispy. Once crispy I removed them from the pan. I added a Boursin cheese block, butter and some flour to the same pan. I wanted to get a thicker saucer going. One it all combined well and thickened, I lowered the temp to a simmer. I added back my ham mixture and continued to simmer as the penne cooked. I tasted the sauce to see if it needed anything – it wasn’t cheesy enough. I thought I had shredded parmesan cheese but I didn’t. The other cheeses I had just didn’t seem to be the right one, so I skipped the added cheese.

When the penne was ready, I added it to the sauce with one can of drained peas. I didn’t want them to get too mushy, so I added them last. I mixed all together and simmered for another couple minutes before serving. I topped with some grated parmesan but it still was missing the cheese factor. It wasn’t awful, I just wanted more cheese LOL. Next time, I will make sure I have the right cheese on hand! I think I may try frozen peas too or a different pasta, bow ties maybe? Let me know your suggestions below!

Live to Eat,
Tiv